Delicacy
by QTrekky
Summary: In an attempt to understand one another better, Leon and D go through a series of crazy tests with certain topics. Fluffy and serious in different situations. AU in later chapters. Leon/D. Violence and Cursing. We don't own PSOH or its characters!
1. Devious Plans

Summary: In an attempt to understand one another better, Leon and D go through a series of crazy tests of one another with certain topics. Both fluffy and serious in different situations. AU in later chapters. Leon/D. Rated for possible violence and cursing. Shonen Ai!

Len: Yet another crazy yoai fangirl thing. Rea's supposed to be a lesbian....

Rea: I support gays. He doesn't like to admit my writing's better than his. And we don't edit each other summaries so I guess this will have to do. Len's an asshole. Please enjoy my story!

Len: Lies, bitch.

Rea: And I guess these beginnings should be rated for some sort of cursing level...D doesn't curse. I'll try to keep Leon's to a minimum. Not that kids should even know about this series in my opinion...

Chapter One: Devious Plans

"My Dear Detective...Usually I would say 'what a pleasant surprise' to such a thing, but really I can't consider your visits much of a surprise anymore." D was dressed in a beauful robe with very random decorations in the top and sides spit right up to the top of his legs. He was, of course, wearing black pants underneath. He began to mix another tea without looking at Leon. "And it's tea time."

"Imagine that." T-Chan added to Leon's animal-def ears.

Leon smirked. "What, you think I'll leave Chris here alone for long?"

"Only every day." T-Chan growled, and Chris gave him a short scowl as he hugged Leon.

"Of course not." D set the tea on the table in front of Leon. "Only for most of the day, while regularly checking in on him."

"Hey, Chris...why don't you go play with the animals? I've got something to talk to D about." Chris gave Leon a disappointed look, but obeyed. T-Chan followed him out to go find Pon-Chan.

Without further ado, and without, of course, noticing that the rest of the animals could all still hear him, Leon jumped into the conversation. "So, D...When do I get that kiss."

D closed his eyes and sighed. "I thought you were acting strange, Detective. Haven't we talked about this?" He sat down and took a small drink of his tea.

Leon placed a box on the table.

D smiled at it and began to break the seels to get it open. "Oh, Detective! I can't believe you brought me tiramisu!" he exclaimed.

Leon smiled back as D served. Of course by now he knew just how to get D to be a bit more coopertive. "So...when I asked you last time you didn't say much."

"Asked me...?" D uncharacteristically feigned cluelessness until Leon raised his eyebrow. "I said all I needed to say about the subject, My Dear Detective."

Leon sighed. "You said you wanted to wait. That's not much to go on, D. And would you just call me Leon?" Some of the animals snickered. Leon looked around at the sudden noise, but the implication seemed to go over his head. "I didn't realize when you said you'd be my 'boyfriend' that I'd be getting myself into the kind of no-touchy based relationship I'm in now." he finished.

D hadn't moved even to eat the cake until Leon was done, but now he took his first bite, savored it completely, swallowed, and stared at Leon a while before answering. "It isn't that I don't want you to even touch me. And if you want to touch me, you should at least let me call you 'Dear.'"

"Great!" Leon leaned forward, the name comment going right past him. More animals snickered this time and Leon looked around again.

D didn't seem to notice. "It is, however, that I want you to wait first. We have been on the same basis for years, Detective. Casual...even enemy-like. I don't see you working towards a greater understanding with me. There's no reason to rush into the physical while leaving the emotional behind."

"Ha. Now I get it." Leon replied. "Tired of superficial talk, Count?"

"Perhaps you should start calling me D as well, Detective." D suggested with a smile.

Leon glared. "I get it, alright. Can we stick to the other thing."

"I'm afraid if you want a kiss, you'll have to try a bit harder." D almost sipped, but ended up pausing to add "And that is my final word on the matter." before taking his sip.

"Well, it ain't mine." Leon said with a devious smerk. D gave him a hard look. "Just listen. I'm willing...lets start with something less than deep and more than shallow and work our way up."

D gave it some consideration. "I'm listening."

"Well...we'll start with something like...dancing. Yah. Music..." Leon urged.

"Best date." D suggested.

"Good one." Leon said. "Then we move to like...secrets...ya know."

D smiled. "Which ones?"

"One's we're comfortable with..." Leon clarified reluctantly.

"You seem to be forgetting pets and flowers." D hinted.

"Right. Pets and flowers before secrets." Leon said. "That was a given."

D didn't call his lie. "A good idea."

"Then to sex."

This declaration was followed by a rather stange uproar of all sorts of animal noises which sounded very much like laughing to D, and very much like it was planned to Leon. A faint blush colored D's face and he seemed almost pleased for a minute.

"What's wrong with these guys today?" Leon asked in a very pissed-off voice.

"I believe you shocked them." D said, finding his own voice. "As you did me."

Leon shrugged. "It's natural. I don't mean that we do it right after we talk about all this stuff!" Leon protested as D threatened to interrupt. "We talk about it, though. And if you're satisfied...I get my kiss." Leon leaned back on the couch, pleased with himself.

"Excuse me." D made to leave.

Leon stood too. "Oh, come _on_, D! Weren't you the one talking about 'adult sexual education' the other day?"

"Please, Detective. I will be right back." D left the room for a few minutes. When he returned, he was holding a pen and a thick paper. "Please sign this."

"Is this for a pet?" Leon looked skeptical.

"As a shop owner, I am accustomed to doing sales by contract." D explained. "You're welcome to read it. In fact, I would feel more comfortable if you did."

Leon took the document and the pen and began to read, mumbling "How is this a sale...?" to himself.

Count D's Pet Shop

I hereby agree to the following:

That I will discuss the following topics with my partner within a few weeks of this document's signing. The topics being Dancing, Best Date, Music, Pets, Flowers, Secrets, Sex. That I will wholly dedicate myself to understanding my partner.

That I will take turns day by day discussing the topic- so that two days each topic are needed- one day for each of us.

That I will not force my partner to kiss me, bother him, or in some other way try to convince my partner to kiss me, or mention a kiss to my partner until the day after this contract comes to an end, which will be the day after the last topic has been discussed by both parties of this contract.

Signature:

Signature:

"What?" Leon asked.

"I was quite clear of the terms."

"Well, yah, but why the terms?" Leon asked.

D didn't answer. "Please pay special attention to clause 3..."

"I get it! You don't want me to ask if I'm going to get one at the end during the process."

"Please sign."

"This is ridiculous, D!"

"I can only do this if you sign, My Darling Detective." D was unshakable.

Leon sighed, clicked the pen out and signed. "This pen looks expensive." he said, in attempt to change the subject.

"The contract begins immediately." D said, signing the document in beautiful curves under Leon's messy scrawl. "I suggest you begin looking into what you want to tell me about dancing and where you will take me in order to...show and tell...I suppose."

"Oh, I know just the place, D." Leon said, getting up from the chair. "But be ready, alright?"

"Very well. I'll post a notice that the shop will be closed...tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow night." Leon said. "It's a date."

D smiled a mysterious smile as Leon turned to leave. "I hope, Detective, that you took special care to read the notice at the bottom of the contract. Many customers do ignore it."

"Oh, The one that says 'if the customer violates this contract in any way, Count D's Pet Shop can not be held responsible for any consequences that might occur...' Yah, I know, Count. I'm going to say bye to Chris." Leon left mumbling about what exactly happened to those customers who did violate the contract and how the hell he got into this relationship with a suspisious shopkeeper he suspected of foul play.

D sighed. "Yes, Detective. Please...don't get lost back there."

Rea: I hope you enjoyed! Please review! Len really does appreciate it. He just doesn't say it in writing!

Len: As usual, Rea checks the reviews. I did very little on chapter one, so I shouldn't care much anyways.

Rea: He's lying. Look at his Dexter one and you'll see he loves reviews! Oh, and especially review if you ever see anything out of character. Thanks!


	2. Disastrous

Rea: Welcome again! Thank you for continuing in the story! It's Leon's turn today. It gets a little sexy for them in the middle...in a dirty kind of way...just a warning.

Chapter Two: Disastrous

"Who's going to take care of Chris?" Leon asked, standing in the doorway and pointing at the sleeping figure that was his brother.

"Naturally, I assumed responsibility in this matter. I knew you would not give it much thought." D replied. Leon looked annoyed.

"It is taken care of."

"I hope not by the animals..." Leon muttered. D smirked and locked up gracefully and quickly. He stepped out into the street with Leon.

"I hope you have considered this greatly, My Dear Detective." D said pointedly.

"Oh, I have. Have you thought about where you're taking me?" Leon pushed as he unlocked the doors to the car. D sat inside.

"About that matter...I suggest you dress according to the occasion..." D replied.

Leon glared at him. He started the car. "What's that supposed to mean?"

D let the shops outside pass by for a while before breaking the bad news. "Just some nice clothes, Darling Detective. For instance, a nice suit and a tie. I'm wearing White and Blue."

"Is it a color theme party?" Leon mumbled irritably.

D stared at him. "I thought you may want to match me." His look quiet clearly told Leon that he hadn't expected him to remember to match him by tradition.

"Right...." Leon parked the car and D looked out the window again.

"What?" D asked. Leon got out and opened D's door as well. _No wonder he's still in street cloths..._ Thought D. The lights to the inside club shone through the windows of the building. Music could also be heard easily from outside.

The next moment Leon found himself trying to literally pull D from the car to go inside. "It's a clean club, I swear, D!" The cop promised.

D shook his head and clutched at the seat almost violently to stay inside. "Please define clean, officer!" he demanded.

Leon pulled harder. "Come on! You're being stupid! Doesn't this violate your precious contract?!" D suddenly let go and landed on top of Leon on the concrete. "Ow!"

"Excuse me, My Dear Detective...I rather lost myself for a minute. I believe I panicked. Please lead on." D said.

"Yah, well...if you don't get off soon, I can't be 'held responsible for any consequences, no matter how tragic they may be' for you, D." Leon said with a blush.

D hmphed and got to his feet, not a hair out of place. Leon scrambled to a standing position and locked the doors to his car, slamming the door. "Alright. Common." He led D inside.

It was the typical kind of club. Loud music, dirty dancing and clearly uninviting to anyone dressed like D. D scowled at the loud, ceaseless pounding. "It's loud."

"What?" Leon yelled.

"It's loud, Detective." D replied, peeved.

"Huh?" Leon shouted at him.

"IT'S LOUD!" D yelled back, then covered his mouth in embarrassment for loosing his temper.

"No shit!" Leon screamed. D scowled at him this time. "Listen, you're a beginer so...let me teach you back here."

"This is dancing?" D asked loudly, appalled as he looked out the intertwined couples on the dance floor.

"Yah!" Leon smiled at D and pulled him close. Their bodies were now touching. Leon pulled and pushed D into the right position to begin- Both legs around one of Leon's. D blushed slightly.

"This should be saved for a more private place." D yelled.

"Huh? Oh, common, Count!" Leon cradled his hands behind D's back and pushed his leg into the man. D gasped and tried to pull away, but Leon was already grinding to the beat of a rap song. D pushed away harder.

"Detective!" He cried in a shocked voice.

"What? It's part of the contract, Count."

"This isn't dancing under any circumstance, Officer!" D argued.

"It's 'dirty dancing.'" Leon explained. "See, still dancing." He pulled D close again and began to "dance" with him. His hands slipped down a bit and D fought with himself not to push the man away again. By the time the song was over, he was also fighting a strong sexual need. He pushed away from Leon and headed outside immediately.

"Hey!" Leon followed him. "What's wrong, D?"

"Please, Detective! That was a completely inappropriate display of a sexual situation also involving clothes!"

Leon snickered at D's wording. "Dirty dancing. Sexy dancing that's really sexual."

"How embarrassing!" D exclaimed. "This has been a complete disaster! Please take me back to the shop immediately!"

Leon sighed, but obeyed. The seemingly short ride became very long now that D was angry and wouldn't speak to him. He pulled up to the shop in what might as well have taken hours and walked D to the door.

D unlocked the place and paused just before going in. "Tonight has been the worst yet experience I've had with you, My Dear Detective." He said tiredly. "I hope that your style of dancing" D shivered slightly "will be improved after the party Saturday night. I'll send Chris out for you to take him home." Before Leon could answer the door was shut. Two minutes later a sleepy Chris came out slowly and walked straight for the car.

Leon sighed angrily and grumbled most of the way back to his appartment.

Len: This was short, Rea. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, but please leave reviews here or on Rea's e-mail only.

Rea: I'll just show him later! He likes to pretend he doesn't want to be bothered.


	3. Delightful

Rea: Thank you again for continuing! I hope you've all been enjoying the story thus far. Please review if you like it! Len really does like to read them! He just does it when he thinks no one is looking because he wants to be tough about reviews when he didn't do much else but edit. He practically begs for reviews on his own stories! It's D's turn today. What will unfold?

Len: If only I could edit what she's saying

Rea: Thus far, I've forgotten to say: if EVER anything I write is out of character please tell me!

Chapter Three: Delightful

"I knew he'd mess it up." T-Chan's stretched out on the couch, taking up every available seat. D sighed quietly.

_What do you mean?_ Thought Chris. _Who messed what up?_

D signed frantically to T-Chan to stop, but Tetsu had his eyes closed.

"Leon! He screwed up their night out." T-Chan explained.

The explanation proved to be not quiet enough. _Oh, they were out last night?_ Chris asked. _Doing what?_

D moved between the two. "Officer Orcot was teaching me...how to dance." T-Chan chuckled.

"I knew something went wrong."

Chris still looked confused, but he began to eat again.

"Well...when are you taking him out?"

"Honestly, you need to stop discussing my private life with everyone here!" D slightly scolded the cats, but he told T-Chan anyways. "I'm taking him to Arivis' Ball this Saturday."

_Can I go?_ Chris asked as T-Chan suppressed another laugh.

"I'm afraid not." D replied. "A fancy dress ball is no place for a young child."

"You'd be bored anyways!" Pon-Chan pointed out to a saddened Chris.

"That reminds me..." D trailed off as he left the room. Opening his closet, he looked at the thousands of outfits he owned. "I don't know what I'm going to wear yet...I have plenty that is both blue and white..."

In the end, D picked a beautiful robe with a white solid and blue trimming. The usual gorgeous patterns of flowers decorated the middle in a diagonal. The roses and Lillys were in blue. One sleeve came up to the shoulder where it abruptly cut off. The other went far down to D's wrist. T-Chan studied the uneven sides with a bit of impatience as Q-Chan flew around D's shoes, sewing a blue pattern to match the robe on the middle of each.

"Really, Q-Chan...I don't need matching shoes..." D protested softly. The sound of the front door bursting open reached their ears.

"You're mate is here." T-Chan said.

"D?" Came Leon's voice from the other room.

"He's not my mate!" D whispered quiet loudly to Tetsu, and immediately turned around to answer. "I'm coming!" Q-Chan flew back, but before he had time to measure his work D was stepping out to greet Leon. "My Dear Detective-oh. You look very handsome."

T-Chan stared at Leon a while. In fact, everyone did. But T-Chan looked ridiculously angry while everyone else looked simply shocked.

Leon was dressed in a very expensive looking white suit. This, of course, didn't mean it really was expensive. His tie was a perfect matching blue to D's outfit and his shoes looked as new as the rest. A blue rose sat in chest pocket, and he held another out to D in a corsage. His hair was nicely combed back as well.

...........and anyone who knew him could tell Jill had dressed him.

"Yo, D." Leon said. His manner entirely displaced his attire. Nevertheless, D stood with both hands together in his lap and his head tilted slightly to the side. He wasn't blushing, but he was obviously close to it. Seeing Leon so fancy was obviously a good experience for him. Leon smiled sheepishly. "Yah...I figured going all out would be yah....d-do ya like it?" He said, holding the rose higher.

D gave a little cat smile and took the plastic box. "How thoughtful." He told Leon as Q-Chan fixed it on with a sigh. Leon smiled more fully at him.

...........and then he obviously consulted the mental notes he took from Jill.

"You look nice." He said awkwardly. He offered D his arm to lead him out. The man didn't hesitate to take the offer.

"You can't be serious." T-Chan finally spoke up.

Q-Chan shook his head and buried his head in his little paws. "Kyu......." He complained.

"Chris is asleep." D said, trying his best to ignore the cats, who were now snickering about how flashy Leon looked in white.

"His eyes are too bright..." Said one.

"No, it's his hair..." Replied another.

"The Count pulls all this off much better."

"It's just because we know what he's really like." Whispered the last.

"Shall we go?" D urged, and out they went.

Leon opened the door for a perfectly thrilled D. "You're going to give me directions to this place, right?" Leon asked.

D smiled as he stepped into the car. "It's not too far, Darling Detective." he said sweetly.

* * *

"It's a mansion." Leon said as he pulled up to the gate. He glared at D, who didn't seem to notice.

"Who the hell are you?" asked the gate man.

"Hello!" D waved at him.

"OH! Count! It's so good to see you! Mr. Arivis will be delighted!" The gate man said, to Leon's annoyance. He opened the gate.

"Oh, you flatter me, Charles. Thank you." They drove forward.

"Do you know everyone in the city?" Leon asked hypothetically.

"Quite impossible, Detective." Count D answered anyways.

Another man stopped them. "What now?" Leon mumbled, rolling down the window.

"Sir, I will take your vehicle from here."

"What? Park it?" The man nodded. Leon got out of the car and handed the keys to him. "This place is ritzy..."

D sighed, sitting quietly in the car. He was just thinking that Leon best let him out before he got to it himself when the officer noticed him again and rushed to the door. He took D's hand to help him out, and was rewarded with a charmingly beautiful smile. He practically melted before leading D successfully to the door.

"God...." Leon whispered to himself, unaware that D could hear him. "How can I like a _guy_ this way?!" D smiled at Leon's selfdoubtfull nature.

The doorman bowed to Count D and let him in, then held a white hankerchief up in the air. Some sort of sign? Leon thought. As usual, he was right. A tall man approached them now. He was dressed nicer than anyone, and should have had "man of the house" stapled on his chest. A beautiful and young blond was practically tied to his arm.

"Count D!" He bellowed. "So good to see you!"

"Mr. Arivis! The pleasure is all mine. Thank you kindly for the invitation, sir." D said in his most charming voice. "And who is your lovely date this evening."

It was clear at this point that Leon was starting to get pissed off.

"Oh, this is Kira. She tells me she would enjoy the company of a beautiful bird. I was hoping you could set her up with something just perfect."

"But of course, Ms. Kira." D kissed the lady's hand. "If you come by the shop, I would be very happy to sell you a pet that is just right for you."

"A pleasure to meet you, Count." the woman replied.

"And is this your date, D? Don't be shy about it, now... You know I'm a supporter of all relationships." Arivis winked at D.

"Yes, this is Leon Orcot. He's a detective for the LAPD." D introduced.

Dispite his former need to be recognized as a friend of D's, Leon suddenly felt very small. "Uh...Nice to meet you." He shook hands with Arivis, trying not to think about just what kind of business this man had with D. What if his boyfriend sold this man a giant gorilla-looking sea-serpent with ginormous fangs? Then there was the drugs....It wasn't that Leon didn't think about the implications of a relationship with D. What happened when he finally got evidence on him, for instance. He figured the Count had planned it that way, though. There was nothing he could do now. He was just too involved.

Suddenly Leon realized that the host was walking away. He hoped no one had been talking to him just now when he was off in la-la land. He looked at D.

He didn't look upset with him. In fact, he looked rather excited, though the only way to tell was the brightness of his eyes. "Now, My Dear Detective, the main event of the night. I will show you my kind of dancing." D led Leon out to the dance floor and placed Leon's hands as if he were the girl in the relationship, and his own as if he were the guy. He knew enough about formal dancing that he didn't want to place his hands girlishly, but seeing as he didn't know how to lead the dance, he only grumbled a little. Or the medium amount, maybe.

D began to lead him in a very complicated waltz that had too many steps for him to remember. He let D drag him around until the Count realized his lack of interest in actually learning.

"Detective," He said coolly "I do believe you're very close to being in breach of our contract."

"Maybe if you went slower-" Leon shot back. D slowed the pace, counting steps and saying directions deliberately, while trying successfully to avoid Leon's clumsy feet. About five dances in, Leon finally got the hang of the dance, but when the song after that came on, D changed the dance.

"Is this a different dance?" Leon asked.

"It is." D replied with a smile. "You're actually doing much better with the new one at start then you were with the other."

"Thanks...." Leon muttered. "But uh...you know...you only danced one dance with me before, D."

D glared at him. "Just how many stiles of intercourse with your cloths on are there?"

"Just the one, but I've done at least four songs with you already."

"This is the sixth, and the only reason we've been dancing so long is because formal dancing actually has style. That's what makes it so delightful. If you'd rather stop now, I can introduce you to a few of my friends instead." D threatened. Leon shut his big mouth. Meeting people through Count D was the last thing he wanted to do. He still hadn't forgotten the dentist, after all.

However, around learning the third style of dance, a shy girl finally stopped them with a quiet "Uh...excuse me...may I cut in? I would like a dance with Count D, if possible." She blushed so cute that Leon stepped aside and let her in. He was tired anyways. He sat down not far away with a plate of food.

The girl before seemed to have inspired the rest and shown that D was approachable. At least one per song would cut in. D worked through all of them and a few customers not interested in being his girlfriend that he obviously knew (all they talked about while they danced was their pet) in the matter of five songs.

When he sat down, he looked as close to exhausted as he could. "Ready to go, D?" Leon teased a bit.

D looked at him with a slightly concerned and questioning expression. "May I ask you a question, Dear Detective?"

"Huh? Yah."

"Are you having a good time?" D asked.

Leon hadn't really realized it until then, but he was indeed, and said so rather awkwardly. D gave him another charmingly sexy smile. Leon sat back in his chair. "So...we agree on this...I guess. I still like the clubs better."

"But we actually both do quiet well here. I don't think you could say the same for..." D shivered and let his sentence trail off.

"It looks bad with your cloths anyways." Leon grumbled.

"Officer?"

"What, D? And stop calling me that."

"Speaking of clothes...where did you get yours?"

There was a long silence. "I didn't put this on our list for a reason, D. We have different styles, obviously. Not much to talk about." D didn't answer, so Leon went on, not baring the silence well. "Jill took me out hunting for them. It was hard, and I tried on about a million of them before I found one I can actually afford, so I damn well hope you like it."

"Language, Detective." D scolded softly "I like it very well. You should wear it more often, in fact. I should like to see you in it much more."

Leon suppressed a blush as best as he could and rose from his seat. "I'm tired, Count. Let me take you home."

"I do believe, Dear Detective, that we're come to an agreement about dancing, don't you?" D asked Leon as he helped him out of the car at the pet shop.

"Yah, what's that?" Leon asked, already knowing the answer.

"First, that clubs are despicable." D said.

"I never said that!" Leon said. "But I get it already, D. One win for you, alright?"

D looked hurt. "This isn't about winning, Detective." He said.

* * *

D smiled as he opened the door. Q-Chan was there to greet him. "Tea?"

Being tired, and feeling that D had won yet again, Leon was cross now. "Just send Chris out, will ya?"

D stepped closer to Leon. "I know it isn't what you wanted, but the contract clearly states that your kiss will come at the END, if I so choose." D pecked Leon gently on the cheek. "Goodnight, My Dear Detective."

He closed the door behind him. "Damn." Leon mumbled as he drove away with Chris in the front, already asleep. "Maybe if I go in next time he'll give me a real one."

Rea: I do hope you liked it! Please review, especially if you did enjoy this chapter. Also, the style for D's outfit is actually in one of the books...uh...book 8.


	4. Dark Nights

Rea: Ah, another chapter uploaded! I'm so happy it's coming along quickly!

Len: Usually she's not that good at this updating thing.

Rea: I'm busy, jerk! Please review, especially if you like the story! It's Leon's turn again, and now we'll see what comes next!

Len: As if she doesn't know...Keep an eye out for puns about Q-Chan, by the way. I've noticed a few.

Chapter 4-Dark Nights

"Best date is your subject?" T-Chan asked D as if he was unbelievable.

"T-Chan, please keep yourself and Chris out of my dating life." D replied. Q-Chan was fitting the ribbons in the back of D's outfit like a doting Grandparent. "It would be unseemly if Chris knew Leon and I were dating."

"How's that?" T-Chan asked. It wasn't that he wanted to defy D, but that he was curious.

"Leon wouldn't want Chris to know. Then he would have to have me explain gay sexual education as well." D replied.

Chris peeked his head in the room. _T-Chan already explained _thought at a mortified D_._

T-Chan blushed. "Sort of..."

D stared at Chris for a moment. "Why did he do that?"

_He was explaining what you and my brother were doing all night._ Chris thought innocently. Q-Chan cradled his head in both hands, then gave D a very clear "Are you seriously?"look.

D's hair spiked a bit in incomfort. "I see. Chris, that is _NOT_ what Leon and I are even close to doing!" He said.

_So you really don't like each other..._. Chris thought sadly.

"It isn't that either, Chris. Your brother and I are only trying to meet half-way. We're exploring a very special union in a less sexual manner by sharing the things we like with each other." Q-Chan looked pleased. T-Chan looked a bit sheepish. Chris just looked confused.

"You're not mating?" T-Chan asked.

"This is precisely why I keep telling you that Officer Orcott is not my mate, T-Chan." D sighed. Q-Chan got back to work on D's ribbons.

D glanced in the mirror. His clothes were black, with one dragon painted circling him. It was a red chinese dragon with it's mouth open on D's chest. Three ribbons started at the sides and fell at his waist in the back when tied. His shoes were plain black. "This is wonderful, Q-Chan. Thank you." Q-Chan nodded.

"Yo, D!"

"Ah, and there's Officer Orcott." D said happily, the memory of the other night dancing in his head. He went into the front room to greet him. "My Dear De...tective-" He paused as the shock of seeing Leon back in his street clothes for "best date" night.

"What?" Leon asked D. "Hey, that suit costs a fortune to get dry-cleaned. And it's white!"

"How cheep!" D protested.

"I'm a cop! I don't make enough!" Leon shot back.

_Please don't fight! _Thought Chris.

"Very well, then. Where do you plan to take me?" D asked. T-Chan snicked.

"In that? You can't guess, Count?" Tetsu teased the oblivious Leon.

"It doesn't matter." Leon said. D gave him a slightly puzzled look. "You'll see when you get there. And maybe we shouldn't be discussing this around..." Leon gabbed a finger at Chris. D scowled.

"Well, he was smart enough to learn it on his own." D told Leon.

"Wha? Really?"

_Not exactly..._ Chris thought at his brother. _I had some friends help me out._

"Right. Not that it was any of your business, little bro." Leon mumbled. "Hey, are you ready or not, Count?"

"Don't make me bite you." T-Chan growled.

D sighed. "I'm only ready because I am NOT ready to breach the contract myself. Goodnight Chris." D shut the door behind them.

"Right." Leon said sarcastically as the taller man walked to the car. "Because if you break the contract 'I can't be held responsible for the consequences, no matter how tragic they may be.' Hey, where are you going, D?"

D had given up on Leon letting him in and was pulling on the handle already. "We aren't taking the car?" he asked Leon. To his surprise, the officer took his hand from the car door and held it in his own.

"Nope." He said, practically dragging D down the street.

"Please slow down, detective! Are we in a hurry?"

"Just trying to start the actual date." Leon replied. They turned a few streets in silence, Leon still leading D by his hand and walking at a slightly faster clip than the Count was. Finally they reached the end of Chinatown. "I'm taking you out of your comfort zone, Count." A wide main street opened up before them and lights from dazzling neons shone out onto them. "And into mine."

D recovered from the initial beauty quickly. After all, those lights weren't environmentally sound at all. "Where exactly are we going?"

"That's the thing, D." Leon told him, beginning to walk slowly down the street. "To you, everything has a beginning and an end. A perfect line. You leave out all the other shapes."

"A line isn't a shape, Detective." D corrected. "It is a line."

"See?" Leon stopped abruptly and faced D. "There you go again. You're such a perfectionist." D looked slightly offended. "What? You are. I'm just trying to show you that not everything has a perfect little plan made especially for that day. Sometimes you have to be spontaneous. So, I'm not taking you anywhere you don't want to go, Count. I'm just taking you around. Tell me if you see anything interesting." He began to walk again. "The best dates are just found in dark nights through a light area."

D walked by his side silently for a few minutes, then smiled._ To think.._.He thought to himself _that this human could teach me such a simple lesson. Perhaps I'm not the teacher and guide I thought I was. _Despite this rather unsettling thought, D smiled charmingly at Leon as he took the cop's hand in his. "I think you should hold my hand again, Detective." he told Leon. Perhaps the officer was right. D had been taking things a little too seriously. He needed to relax...just this once...

_I hope I don't see any of my buddies like this._ Leon rolled his eyes. The date ensued much like this. They held hands, and they walked slowly around the streets of LA that were brightly lit with theatres and restaurants and shops. D would be suddenly deterred by exotic things Leon had never heard of and Leon would be pulled in the shop by his hand. They chose a rather casual place to eat, mainly because of the beautiful desert display in the front of the place. D went into one shoppe and came out with a $60 cake that he claimed he had tried to find everywhere else in the city and couldn't. He came out of another shoppe with $70 worth of candy.

This, of course, all came out of Leon's pocket. But when he hinted at his budget, D seemed to be expecting it. He reminded Leon promptly of all the deserts he had bought for D over the last year when he came in every day. Leon added it up as best as he could in his mind and found his total expense to equal about $1,063 dollars...a year...on cake. "How did you afford this before I came into your shop, D?" he asked, pointing at D's gifts as they walked back into China town.

"I didn't afford half as much." D replied sweetly. "And thank you for holding them." To emphasise the point, he stole Leon's heart back with another kiss on the cheek when they reached the shop. D took his things from Leon as he stared, lovestruck, at D.

_Can I have more, please?_ He thought, but the contract kept him from actually saying it.

"I'll send Chris out for you." D said in his most charming voice. "And...My Darling Detective...this was such a wonderful night." He went into the shop practically humming.

Len: You buy that much candy a year.

Rea: Go jam your fingers so I can start typing your responses.

Len: This is fucking short.

Rea: You're short!.... Please review! ..........this IS short! Hmm...now that I look at it, I only write 3 pages average!

Len: Rip off.

Rea: For those of you who read this and review, please leave in your review whether or not you think I should update every four or three days rather than five. Thank you!


	5. Dentist

Rea: Good day (or night, depending on when you're reading this.) Today is D's turn, and one need only read the title to find out what ensues in this chapter!

Len: This is ridiculous. Oh, and the italics are usually thoughts, but in big clusters they are flashbacks.

Chapter Five: Dentist

_Why was big brother melting at the door yesterday?_ Chris asked D in the morning when Leon was gone.

T-Chan grimaced. "Tell me you didn't mate with that mut, Count."

"I did no such thing." D said.

_Did you kiss him_? Chris asked.

"You kissed him, didn't you Count?" Pon-chan said hopefully.

"Why are you so happy about it?" T-Chan asked grumpily.

"My, my...aren't all of you so curious...." D stopped cutting cake for snack time and faced the animals. "It was a kiss on the cheek. I wouldn't violate my own contract." Q-Chan nodded happily.

"Wha? You kissed Leon?" Ten-Chan said, walking into the room and rudely grabbing a piece of cake before they were cut evenly.

"On the cheek!" D repeated.

"You know, D. Ever since this started you seem a little more stressed out than you usually are." T-Chan pointed out.

"Why? Is he shedding?" Ten-Chan asked. He looked at D's slightly ruffled hair. "Oh. I see. You know your hair is messed up, right, D? Keep it that way. You pull off ruffled well."

Q-Chan glared at Ten-Chan as he fixed the offending pieces of hair. "I can't break the contract now that I've made it." D said tiredly. Q-Chan nodded solemnly.

"Besides, if everyone would just leave him alone about it, he'd probably feel better." Ten-Chan pointed out. "Of course we won't, though." He took another piece of cake and went back to his room.

D sighed and sat down with his tea as and cake as the others munched at the table. Ten-chan peeked in. "Hey, D! Feed me!" Then, as an afterthought, he added. "Please." and disappeared back into the corridor.

D got up with his tea and went into Ten-Chan's room. "You just ate, Ten-Chan. You really shouldn't eat more."

"Who needs food? I need to tell you something."

"Well, you didn't have to trick me!" D said. He continued to sip the tea. "What is it?"

"So...how was the date?"

D, curious to why this question had come up, answered in detail. "It went rather well, considering. We went around town a bit. He let me buy a lot of sweets."

"Common, D!" Ten-Chan stretched out on his couch. "You don't see any of these pets settling for something like Leon."

"I sense you have a more important point to make."

"Yah, well...I do. See, despite his claims on you, he's only done one date right so far. You have to up the standards. Show him what he's doing wrong." D would have turned to leave at that point had a human told him such a thing. As it was, he dismissed himself.

"I have no need to take revenge on Officer Orcott, Ten-Chan. Excuse me." D turned to leave, but just as he was closing the door, Ten-Chan said one more thing.

"It isn't revenge. It's just pushing him into a better understanding of what you like. It's in the contract, right D?"

The Count left the door closed, but Ten-Chan's words seemed to echo in his head on his way back to the main part of the shop. "What could I possibly do to make him upset enough to change his ways?"

"Kyu!" Q-Chan squeaked deviously, and suddenly D realized that Ten-Chan wasn't the only one in on this plan.

"Glad you asked, Count." T-Chan smirked.

* * *

Leon picked D up at eight two days later. He didn't see Q-Chan wave to D while he was at the door, and he obviously couldn't see the evil smile on T-Chan's smug face. He didn't suspect anything when he went out to the car and opened the door for Count D.

D was dressed nice, as usual. His outfit consisted of a purple vest with a tie in the back and a long front. It spilled over his solid black bottom beautifully and the sleeves came down passed D's hands. Leon was not dressed nice, as usual. He hadn't even bothered to brush out his hair that well, and if it hadn't been for that fact, D would have never followed through with the original plan. The one cooked up by T-Chan, Ten-Chan, Q-Chan and Pon-Chan, that is.

"So, directions?" Leon asked. D smiled at him, but it was eerie in the way that Leon liked to avoid.

"North a while, Det- Ow!" D doubled over. It was very well acted. Leon would never guess it has been rehearsed. D felt it was a pity that he wouldn't be able to show Leon what his real best date would be like tonight, and while he felt this was a violation at first, Ten-Chan had assured him otherwise.

_"You'll get to it, D. Next date. Just suggest that next time you guys go together on the date you missed out on. Tell him the contract insists on it. It'll even punish him further."_

"_Yah." Pon-Chan had agreed heartily. "He'll have to wait even LONGER to see if he gets a kiss." Q-Chan nodded and T-Chan nodded and D sighed and finally gave in. _

"What's wrong? D?" Leon asked.

"This will have to wait..." D said unhappily, still clutching his mouth.

"Why?"

"My teeth hurt."

At that, Leon's stomache gave a slow role. "Right." He started the car and headed in the direction to D's Dentist. He could never forget how to get there anyways. As soon as they arrived and Leon brought D inside he felt sick.

"Ah, Count D! And your little pet, too." The dentist said with a wink. Leon blinked. They were speaking Chinese again.

"Yes...I've yet to tame him properly. That is actually the reason for my visit." D admitted in Chinese.

"Ah! Would you like a check up on the animal?" The girl asked and D shook his head.

"I am..."

"Just taking him for a very long walk. I see. Well, then! Let's have him watch!" The last sentence was, to Leon's shock, said in English, and sent shivers down the detective's spine.

"I'm not sadistic like you!" Leon yelled angrily as the woman layed D on her table and stripped off her coat to reveal a dominatrix outfit below.

"I'll use plenty of pain killers!" The dentist said happily.

"You would save me should I be in some sort of trouble, right?" D asked Leon. The Detective just stared at him, but it was too late. She poked the needle in. Leon nearly lost his lunch and D seemed to panic momentarily before she got to work.

"HEY!" Leon protested as she took out another shot. "That's way too much!"

"Mmm! Mmmmmmmmmm! Mmmm!" D didn't seem to be able to.....

"WHAT THE HELL?! DID YOU PARALYSE HIM?!" Leon screamed.

"That's a good boy, Count!" The Dentist said in Chinese. She left the room. Leon stared at D, puzzled.

Then, suddenly, D continued: "MMMMMMMMMMMMM!"

Leon looked at the door where the dentist stood holding a whip and a chain. "Lend me your handcuffs?"

_"I don't see why I must torture myself in this process." D told Ten-Chan when he initially told him the plan. _

"_Oh, that's just so Leon finally sees how much he DOESN'T want you in cuffs." Ten-Chan joked. T-Chan laughed. _

"_It's just to scare him a little. Once he rescues you from the doctor, he'll feel accomplished and want to please you from now on! Of course, you've got to praise him first. Like a dog." Pon-Chan said mater-of-factly._

"_A mut." T-Chan clarified. _

"_Pon-Chan, I have to admit that I think you're the only one who has pure motives in this plan." D told her. _

"Wha!? NO!" Leon took the whip out of the dentist's hands. She wrapped the chain around Leon's neck and he rammed her against the wall. As soon as she lost her grip he took the chain and wrapped it easily around her own neck. "Now fix his teeth and do it right!" he demanded.

An hour later, when whatever she had given D wore off and his teeth were done, D got back in the car with Leon feeling so guilty about what he had done that he almost turned himself in for selling dangerous animals- even if they were meant to bring love and dreams when used properly.

"That girl is a psycho! I can't believe she can still do all that! Someone should have sued her by now!" Leon started the car. "I guess you want to go back to the shop?" Leon asked, clearly upset about the whole adventure.

_"But you have to praise him!" _

D remembered Pon-Chan's great plan and put it to use. "You were very heroic rescuing me like that, Detective." He said sweetly. Leon sort of blushed.

"That's what I'm here for." He said with a self-satisfied smile.

"I see. North." D said.

"We're still going? Great!" Leon drove easily through traffic in whatever direction D told him to until they reached the beach "Wow...Hey. I didn't know you could get here from there." Leon said, pulling up to the empty parking lot.

"It's largely deserted, as you can see. This is where I would go...had this night gone as...planned." D paused before continuing. "Well, not everything is perfectly planned, right?" he reminded Leon.

D led Leon out to the beach slowly by the hand and they stared at the water together. The waves came up to their bare feet. They had, naturally, left their shoes in the car. D looked at Leon and fought the urge to kiss him. He had wrongly forced punishment on his Detective for something ridiculous. He looked at Leon's shirt and felt a jolt of pain. It wasn't so bad. He was just a little unfashionable...

It wasn't like he really had any Chinese humility or cultural barrier to kissing Leon like he pretended. He could tell him...everything. The truth. D leaned in and Leon looked at him.

_The Contract. _

The Count stopped short. He was able to hear Leon's heartbeat increase from where he was. To cover, he pecked him on the cheek and leaned his head on Leon's shoulder. "Thank you, Detective."

Leon stared at D's head strangely at the gratitude, but D couldn't see him. "For what?"

"This is wonderful."

"Common, D. Admit it- you wish I'd worn better clothes." D tensed a little. "Next time I will. Hey- why so tense all the sudden? Leon asked. "Did you see a mermaid or something?" he joked.

D took his head off Leon's shoulder and smiled at him. "No." He said honestly. Leon sighed.

"It was a joke, D." He said. "Want a massage or something? You seem tense now."

"Would you?" D asked and Leon nodded. "How kind. No thank you, My Dear Detective. You've done enough tonight."

"Want a little stress reliever?" Leon winked.

"Adult sexual education?" D flirted back.

Leon looked surprised for the briefest moment before wrapping his arms around D's waist. "First you start with the neck." Leon brushed his lips gently on D's neck and the Count shivered.

D practically collapsed in Leon's arms, giving himself over completely._ I can always blame it later...on getting carried away in the moment._ He thought as Leon realized he was accepting and began to kiss his neck gently.

"Move down..." Leon continued, still kissing the neck occasionally as he "taught." "And begin to caress the collar bone..." He lifted one arm carefully, as if he would wake D if he moved too fast, and gently unbuttoned the top button of the vest so he could move down further. "a little at a time..." He placed gentle kisses on D's soft skin. "Mmm...not surprising, D...but you taste like sugar..."

"Mmmm..." D moaned. "Sugar...Cake." he lifted his head and Leon stared.

"What?"

"Cake." D said again, with shinning eyes. "I would like to return to the shop now."

"Way to ruin a good moment, D."

D removed himself softly from Leon's arms and smiled at the Detective. "Whatever do you mean, My Dear Detective? Would you like some tea when we get back?"

Len: I sort of like the end, personally.

Rea: Admit it now, Len!

Len: Yah, Yah...I wrote some in the middle. Big deal.

Rea: What? No big deal?! Now you can ask for reviews!

Len: Alright, Alright! Please review if you like the story. How is it any different when I do it?

Rea: Len didn't want me write this one! Can you do me a huge favor? If you read these conversations between Len and I, review more whenever Len asks for them! He'll get real full of himself and start asking! Pretty Please? Thanks for reading!


	6. Don't Forget

Rea: Hello again! Len's been writing lately! Who's turn is it today?

Len: Leon's.

Rea: Great! This chapter a bit fluffy/funny. The reason I don't know who's turn it is is because...LEN WROTE THIS CHAPTER! (Does happy dance.)

Len: Most of it, yes. Please enjoy.

Rea: See, he cares!

Chapter: Six: Don't Forget

"Morning, Leon."

"Hey, Jill." It was the traditional morning Leon greeting- grumpy, mean, angry, probably already having a bad day- wait.

"Uh...Leon?"

"Yah?"

"You sound...nicer this morning." Jill looked carefully at her partner. "Hey- did you get a girlfriend?"

"Huh? No." Leon seemed occupied, but unlike most days, he wasn't occupied with work. He seemed more along the lines of happy, nice and lovesick and was definitely having a good day. And it was only eight in the morning!

"So, what D case are you working on today?" Jill asked as a test.

"I got nothing." Leon sighed. "Doesn't matter. He covers his tracks too well."

"Oh, really...maybe you should go get him a sweet snack."

"I should." Leon said.

"IT WORKED!" Jill's papers went flying everywhere as she threw up her hands in joy.

"What worked?" Leon asked rather mildly.

"My awesome shopping skills bought you a perfect suit and dazzled that date, didn't it?" Jill asked, obviously knowing the answer.

"And?" Leon said, since he couldn't challenge her. "Thanks, by the way."

"And you got some. God knows you needed it...And you said you don't have a girlfriend!"

"I didn't get shit." Leon said, suddenly peeved.

"What?" Jill was shocked now. Leon looked annoyed.

"Can't even get a kiss."

Jill laughed. "What's her type? I'll tell you how to get one."

"Thanks, but I already know all about it."

"Really now?" Jill challenged.

"Yep. And today, it's music." Leon rose and walked away from the desk.

"What?"

* * *

"Yo, D, where are you?" Leon said without even looking as soon as he walked in. "Oh, hey T-Chan." He easily ignored Tetsu and walked on. "Oh, hey Chris. Where's D?"

_In the back. How was your date? _Chris asked.

"It went well enough...I guess...don't you have better things to do than ask?" Leon looked around. "Hey, where is everyone?"

"Most of them are napping, Detective." D told Leon, moving the curtain as he entered the front room.

"Brought you some cake." Leon said simply.

"Detective!" D said, ecstatic. "You shouldn't have!" He took the cake as if Leon would change his mind. It was obvious that his words were just for being polite.

Up until then, T-Chan had been studding the situation and noticing just how smoothly things were going for D and Leon. "What exactly happened? Did he really come to his rescue?" he mumbled.

"Of course!" Pon-Chan said. "He couldn't help it! Now the relationship's even stronger!" she sighed in contentment.

"Good." Said Ten-Chan. "I'm happy it worked out."

T-Chan sulked. "Yah but...."

D looked at T-Chan suddenly.

"Did you even do it?" T-Chan asked.

D nodded. "Yes." he replied.

"What, D?" Leon asked, because he had been talking to Chris for a while, but Chris was suddenly paying more attention to T-Chan.

"You're totally out of his league, D!" T-Chan said, and he curled up in a ball for a nap on the couch.

"What's going on?" Leon asked.

"T-Chan isn't feeling well." D said uncomfortably.

"Is he ever?" Leon asked.

"Of course!" D replied, slightly angry.

"So, music day." Leon said. "I was thinking maybe...we'd stay in the pet shop...."

That said, D got to work. Ten-Chan chuckled as D woke T-Chan up and told him to escort Chris to the back of the store. Leon stared at T-Chan like he was going to eat his brother on the way over there. Pon-Chan volunteered to go as well.

"You two should have some romantic time together!" She insisted to the Count while Leon obliviously drank black tea. She showed as many pets out of the front room as possible before Chris got the instructions to leave from T-Chan and they went out.

Ten-Chan was the only one who stayed.

"Hey, I haven't see that guy in a while..." Leon pointed out. D looked over.

"Ten-Chan. What are you still doing in here?"

"I'm guidance." The fox replied.

Leon was shoving a CD in D's face now. "You have a CD player, right?"

"Why...no..." D admitted.

"I figured." Leon said. "And today, I came prepared!"

"Imagine that. Two points, Leon." Ten-Chan said. Leon got out the player and set of speakers and plugged them in.

D sat down and waited patiently.

"Hey, could I see the contract?" Leon asked.

D's cup of tea stopped halfway to his mouth. "If you are this close to violating, perhaps you shouldn't try doing what you plan to do."

"I wanted to make sure you 'payed special attention' to clause one." Leon teased. "You didn't seem to want to understand me the other night when we went dancing."

D sipped and then looked at Leon. "I understand, Detective, that you combine sex with dancing and I do not deny that music can make a situation more erotic. I believe your main thought throughout the dance was of our sexual relationship."

"Or lack thereof..." Ten-Chan coached.

"Or lack thereof." D added. "Am I right?"

"Alright, alright. I get it, you made the effort."

"I simply didn't enjoy the experience, Detective."

Leon flipped on the CD player. "I hope you enjoy this one." It was silent for a few seconds before ear-splitting music came pounding out of the speakers, which were actually quiet loud. D's tea spilt everywhere as soon as the noise began because he jumped eight feet in shock.

"Cool." Ten-Chan said simply.

"Loud, huh?" Leon asked as he and D cleaned the expensive outfit he was wearing to the best of thier ability.

"No use! I have to change!" D said unhappily. "This was a gift from my grandfather!" D stood. "Please stop that noise for a while." He left the room.

Leon flipped off the music. He looked at Ten-Chan. Ten-Chan looked back. It was quiet.

D came back in with a new outfit, this one multicolored in some areas in complicated paintings of flowers and birds and black in the background. He sighed. "What kind of music is this?" He asked Leon.

"Heavy metal." Leon replied.

"It's loud." D commented.

"Yah. It's supposed to be." Leon replied.

"It's artistic too, D." Ten-Chan pointed out. "Listen to how much is going on."

D resolved to be more open minded as Leon played the music again. He heard several instruments and was just beginning to warm up to it and drink his tea again and Leon was just going to relax about it until- D's tea practically poured out of his mouth in shock. "Why is he screaming?"

"Huh? It's the new singing." Leon replied.

D eyed the CD player. "I prefer the old singing." He said.

Ten-Chan began to head bang. "YAH!" Leon said, thrilled by the pet's reaction "See, _he_ likes it!"

"I'm not surprised." D said blandly as Leon began to head-bang with Ten-Chan. "He's about as decent as you are."

"I'd take this one home, D!" Leon exclaimed.

"Most would." D said truthfully.

After about two songs, D felt his ears would start to bleed if he didn't stop them. He asked Leon to turn the player off. "What is it that interests you so much about this...style?" D asked his Detective.

"It's...chaotic, I guess." Leon said.

"Tell him I like the screaming." Ten-Chan said happily..

"Ten-Chan likes the screaming." D relayed.

Leon laughed a bit. "So, are we going out for your part?"

"Why don't you drop by the shop tomorrow?" D asked. "We'll do it here while you're off-duty."

"Sure." Leon took his Cd player and put it back in his bag just as Chris came in the door.

_Are you leaving?_

"Yah, I've got to get back to work, Chris. Wanna come with?" Leon said, ruffling his brother's hair. Chris shook his head. "Alright. Be seeing you, D. Pon-Chan and T-Chan eyed D as Leon left.

"What'd he do wrong?" They asked together.

"His style of music is more like mine." Ten-Chan said.

_How did it go?_ Chris asked.

"Why doesn't anyone ask me?" D said defensively as Q-Chan floated into the room from behind a curtain.

"Ah....Q-Chan was spying on you." Ten-Chan said, ignoring both the questions.

"This just isn't working..." D said unhappily, dropping his head a little.

"Hey, D."

D looked up at the fox.

"Don't forget the times you left little kisses on his cheeks." Ten-Chan retired to his room, but his point was well made.

"I won't quite just yet." D promised quietly.

Rea: You write more than me!

Len: I'm a better writer.

Rea: It's because you're old.

Len: Twenties is not old. You're just young!


	7. Different

Rea: I've noticed that Len likes to start us off at the police department whereas I start us off in the Pet Shop...and you write more too!

Len: I identify better with Leon's life.

Rea: This gets very serious! Wow! Len, you're so wonderful! It's D's turn, but this chapter didn't really turn out like the rest and it's also where it becomes AUish.

Chapter Seven: Different

"Hey, Leon. Get that kiss yet?" Teased Williams as he passed Leon's desk.

"Is she playing hard to get?" Another said from his desk.

Leon ignored them to the best of his ability until Jill came in. "Hey! What did you tell everyone?!" He demanded to know.

"Nothing!" Jill said "It's just...news...gets around...."

"Ahhh!" Leon half-sighed in frustration.

"I can still tell you her type you know..." Jill offered.

"D." Leon said before he could catch himself.

"D?!" Jill yelled.

"She acts like D!" Leon yelled. Good cover....

"Oh, well that's easy. Give her sweets!"

"Don't you think I've tried that?"

"Did you try tea?"

"She wants to get to know me first."

"Oh..."

"And she wants me to know her." Leon finished.

"Maybe you should get her a pet from D's shop."

"Nah..." Leon said. "She's already a customer." He lied.

"Oh. Well, all the more reason. D would love to help you find the right thing, you know!" Jill said.

"What? So it can eat her? No, thanks..." Leon got up "I'm off for the afternoon."

"Alright, then." Jill waved as Leon left. "Gees. If he doesn't do something he'll die of sex deprivion."

The lights were off when Leon entered the shop that day, but that wasn't unusual. What was unusual was the absence of the animals that usually roamed the inside. The sign on the door did say it was closed, but Leon was still surprised. D was almost always in the shop- he even lived there. It was strange that he would leave it, and of course the animals would usually still be here.

The lights were lower than usual as well. Leon stepped forward. "Leon's here, D." Said a voice both low and haunting, but unlike D's voice.

"D?" Leon asked. There was no response. He stepped toward the voice that had just spoken.

"You should hurry. Leon's not a patient man."

"Hey!" Leon protested. He stepped in closer and saw a shocking sight. A young man sat in the most comfortable chair in the room, where the fox had been sitting the previous day. He had long hair in a braid and cool clothes on, including reasonably high and fashionable boots. He waved at Leon.

"D will be here in a minute. He's with a customer." he said.

"How do you know D?" Leon asked. The young man suddenly looked shocked. "Is he a friend of yours? How do you know me?"

"You..." The boy stood and went over to Leon. "You can see me?"

"Wha? Of course!" Leon shouted.

"What do I look like to you?!"

"Some punk who's in my way. I'm a cop, kid. Why don't you answer my questions?" Leon asked.

Ten-Chan just stared. He put his fingers together suddenly as Leon looked on, shocked and confused at the sudden movement.

D entered though the back room to see Ten-Chan chanting and Leon asleep at his feet. "Ten-Chan! What happened!" D swooped down to get Leon and put him on the couch. Ten-Chan stopped chanting and helped.

"I don't know, D! I called to you and he started talking to me and he could see me!"

"What?" D was at a loss for words at this news. "But...how?"

"Maybe you opened his mind to the possibilities?" Ten-Chan suggested.

"Ten-Chan." D said, standing to his full height suddenly.

"Yah?"

"Fix my Detective!" D demanded, pointing at Leon. Q-Chan buried his face in his hand.

"My, my Count...that would be quite the trick. Though he might just wake up and have forgotten. That's all I can do, really." Ten-Chan said, smiling at D's sudden change of personality.

D shrunk into the seat next to Leon as T-Chan and the other usual animals joined him.

"But isn't this good?" Pon-Chan asked when Ten-Chan had explained the situation.

"No!" T-Chan protested. "Now that he can see us, he'll take pictures and have proof about this."

"Don't be silly." Said a cat.

"That's not how it works, T-Chan." D said quietly. Q-Chan patted his shoulder sadly. "This is much worse."

"Why?" Pon-Chan asked.

Ten-Chan shrugged. "Well, we'd appear as normal animals on film. Except a few of us, like T-Chan and I, of course. But rare animals aren't against the law. We're just hard to find. And we won't be taken from D unless he can prove we're dangerous. Two things could happen now. Leon will try to turn us in, but he'll look insane doing it, or he'll search until he finds proof in the back that we're illegal. He can get a warrant now. When he finds the truth about the shop, he'll find past detectives searching for us. We'd be-"

"Please, Ten-Chan." D put his head in his hands.

"Kyu..." Q-Chan said sadly. There was silence.

"Or...he's so in love with D he can't bring himself to turn us in!" Pon-Chan said hopefully.

"Yah right." T-Chan replied. "Can I eat him."

D's shoulders began to shake.

"Woah! D! I'm sorry! Don't cry about it!"

"Shh!" Ten-Chan said, putting out his hand to stop T-Chan's babbling. "He's trying to find an option where he doesn't loose."

For a good deal of the conversation now, Leon had been feigning unconsciousness. Now, he finally sat up, much to the shock of the general population. "Hah. My gut was right all along." He said.

D's head popped up. T-Chan and several other animals jumped in front of D. Ten-Chan struck a pose for beginning another chant.

"Woah! Hey! None of that!" Leon said, jumping off the couch and scrambling behind another one to avoid Ten-Chan.

"D, decide quickly!" T-Chan said tensely. D stared blankly, confused and obviously indecisive. "D!"

"T-Chan?" Leon asked. T-Chan glared at him and stepped forward. "Wow...you're T-Chan, aren't you?." He asked. "Who are you?" He pointed at Pon-Chan.

"I'm Pon-Chan! The badger." Silence. "I apparently look like a raccoon to you." He crossed her arms.

"Ohhhhh, you're Chris' friend." Leon said. He sat down again, as if his head couldn't take it. "I thought you were T-Chan until I saw his horns." He pointed at Ten-Chan and then at T-Chan.

"I'm a nine tailed fox." Ten-Chan said, dropping his arms.

"Ten-Chan!" D stepped forward a bit in warning not to give away secrets. Q-Chan was right behind him, a scowl on his face.

"Don't worry D...Pon-Chan said that, right? You're right...I can't do it now, and even if I could I don't have any real proof. You're animals. Just explain what's going on, D. I've seen these guys. They're all pets!" Leon looked wearily at D, who sat down after a moment.

"Told you so." Pon-Chan said, sticking her tongue out at T-Chan.

"It's...the incense." D said simply.

"What? But it's always burning!"

"I think falling for D let you open your mind to impossibilities, Leon." Ten-Chan said.

"How many of these pets have I flirted with you in front of?" Leon asked suddenly. Pon-Chan beamed. "AND HOW MANY LOOK LIKE THAT?!" Leon pointed to a group of beautiful women.

"Now, Leon...let's not get too hot on the ladies..." Ten-Chan warned.

"THEY'RE ANIMALS, TEN! THAT'S GROSS!"

"Did you seriously just call me Ten?" Ten-Chan asked.

"Yah, why's Chan at the end of all your names anyways?"

"It's a sign of familiarity with us." Pon-Chan explained.

"You know...this suddenly makes a lot of sense." Leon said. "This is why Chris is always confused when I ask about animals, isn't it?"

"Good piecing it together, Leon." Ten-Chan said. "Chris can see us the way we are to you now, and always has seen us that way."

Leon suddenly remember the nine-tailed fox. "Hey, aren't you the same thing we rescued from the burning house?" Leon asked.

"Yep. Well...actually...I could have made it out alone." Ten-Chan admitted. "We had some business to take care of...And never hold me by the scruff again, detective L."

"D...this is..." Leon trailed off.

"It's a lot to take in. We understand if you want to take a break from the pet shop now." Ten-Chan reassured.

"And leave D!?" Pon-Chan argued.

"No, it's fine..." D seemed to be in just as much shock as Leon.

Leon buried his face in a pillow. "Tea." He mumbled. "We should be drinking tea."

"When all else fails..." Ten-Chan said, plopping down across from D and Leon after everyone had their drinks and snacks in hand. "Do something normal."

D thanked Ten-Chan.

"This alone should earn him a kiss." Pon-Chan said dreamily.

"Thanks for pointing that out for him, Pon-Chan." A lizard replied. "Everyone knows he was thinking it."

"Yah, well. I can't say it." Leon hinted. "The contract doesn't stop me from thinking."

D sighed. He looked around and thought again how he should tell Leon the full truth. He shook his head.

"Hey, where's Chris?"

"Napping." T-Chan said shortly.

"And why do you keep biting me."

"There's a lot of reasons. Got all day?" T-Chan asked.

Leon glared at him. "Well, it's going to look weird now so..."

"Primarily," D said suddenly, "You could start calling him Tetsu instead of Goat. The same goes for may of the other animals. For instance, Pon-Chan should do fine, since you can't seem to remember she isn't a raccoon."

"Yah..." Leon drank the rest of his tea. "You guys...uh...could we maybe..."

"Oh, sure!" Pon-Chan said happily. "I shooed everyone out yesterday because I wanted you to have privacy so..." She began rushing the others out again. Ten-Chan stood to leave.

"Hey, Ten-Chan." Leon said. "You'll always like my music, right?"

Ten-Chan laughed. "WAY better than D's" He said, and left the room. T-Chan gave Leon a warning look before exiting.

Leon laughed a bit, and very weakly.

"I did not mean for this to happen."

Leon sighed. "To tell the truth, D...I would have had to get over you and leave if you were selling drugs or humans. Since the human thing makes sense now....Humans as animals- Hey! Why didn't Chris tell me!?"

"I believe Chris considers this the only one place he can fit in right now." D replied.

"But isn't that..."

"Yes...he should grow up in your world, Leon. When he regains his speech...he will leave this world behind."

Leon looked at the suddenly solemn man. "I'm just glad you're...not into...you know...drugs and stuff. On the other hand...I now know you're behind the murders." He said Cooley.

"Please, Detective. We really do sell love, hope and dreams...should things go badly....we cannot be blamed for stupidity and disobedience. I give humans a chance to reconcile. A chance to go back to what was or to change. Should that change not occur....I am sorry. However, we cannot be held responsible for those act-"

"Cut the shit, D!" Leon stood in anger.

"Detective." D's voice commanded silence as he stood and gave Leon the angriest look he had yet seen on the count. "Does your own government not operate on such a system as this? People are given a chance to do the right thing, but usually only one, depending on the offence. And even if their offence is small, they do receive a punishment. After that punishment, they return to society. The consequences still effect them, and if they should return to that life, they receive a harsher punishment. My work is much like yours, only it really does involve the chance for permanent change and the fulfillment of a dream. Your work is cruel and offers no redemption!"

Leon cast his eyes down, anger still in them. They slowly softened, replaced by a trace of guilt and realization. He sat down. "You're..."

"Please, My Dear Detective..there is no reason for you to admit to it." D sat next to Leon and sighed in exhaustion.

"You have a bad heart or something D...you shouldn't get so overexcited." Leon said.

"How did you know?"

"All I know is you can't run very far." Leon admitted.

"I see." D said sadly.

It was quiet besides the usual strange noises of the pet shop for quite some time before D rose and a scrapping sound could be heard. "D?" Leon asked. Then the music started. It floated sweetly around the room. It seemed to be carried by the incense into the distant corners of the pet shop. D returned to his seat while the music played sweetly and softly...something classic and rather sad. It was very tired music, and D was soon laying against Leon's shoulder, exhausted from the day.

"This is my music." D said simply, then added. "It is complex in it's own way, and emotionally gratifying. Instead of inspiring anger, as I feel your music did, I feel many different emotions. This may be a sad song, but the next is among the most beautiful love songs you have ever heard." D's soothing voice mixed with the music had Leon leaning against the couch, relaxing.

They drifted in and out, sometimes in conversation with each other, Leon asking an occational question about the shop or animals, and sometimes enjoying the beauty of a new song. And eventually they fell asleep, D leaning on Leon, and Leon's arms wrapped securely around his Count.

It was T-Chan who covered them, in a strange acceptance of what was to be from now on. And it was he that kept Chris and the animals away from the room long after the record stopped and music drifted away like wind.

Len: See all that stuff at the end about the music? That's what she wrote. And most of what I wrote is awkward because of the situation.

Rea: Stop! You're making me blush! Well, PLEASE REVIEW! Especially since it's Len's birthday!

Len: You people had to expect her to say that.... Actually...I just might read some of the reviews for this chapter...

Rea: Ask nicely, Len, and I'll tell you when we get them! .....He walked away!


	8. Dog

Rea: We're so sorry about the lack of updates lately! Please enjoy!

Len: And I think there might be some misspellings in this chapter, actually. We've been busy with finals. Thank you for all the reviews.

Chapter Eight- Dog

"Morning, Count." Ten-Chan said to D when T-Chan had finally moved from the door to let them to the front room. "T-Chan's been on guard duty for you two all night."

"Oh, my..." D said foggily. "What time is it?"

_Nine_. Chris thought.

"Only nine? Why am I awake already?" D asked. "The shop doesn't open until te...."

"You must be tired, Count. Look at what you're wearing." T-Chan hinted. "You can't be comfortable."

"Oh my! This just won't do!" D was automatically awake. "I see. I must have fallen asleep. How long has the record player been going off the record?"

"I turned it off in the middle of the night." T-Chan said. "You and Leon sure were passed out!"

_I missed all the fun!_ Chris complained. _Why didn't anyone wake me up? Is it true big bro can see them like I do now?_

"Please, Chris." Pon-Chan said "It wasn't fun at all! We had to convince your brother not to tell anyone about the secret of the shop!"

_What_? Chris asked.

"See, not everyone sees us this way, and your brother's been one of those who couldn't see our human forms. So, basically, now he can." Ten-Chan explained.

"That's enough of that." D said as he stood up. "Q-Chan, please help me find something suitable for today. We never specified the day for out next date....knowing Officer Orcott...."

"Yep. It could be today and you wouldn't even know it yet." T-Chan said. Q-Chan followed D into the back rooms.

_Hey, why is Count D still calling brother by his last name?_ Christopher asked.

"It's just his style." T-Chan said simply.

"I'll be in my room. My work here is done." Ten-Chan said, and he did indeed leave.

* * *

Leon's brain hurt. He couldn't concentrate on his work, and it felt sort of useless now. Maybe the next guy he caught, he'd make sure he wasn't convicted so he actually had a chance to change....

"What am I thinking!" Leon said aloud suddenly. "Those people he changes are probably drawn there or something by D himself."

"Hey, Leon?" Jill said, peeking her head into Leon's office. "I heard you shout. You okay?"

"Just this...D case...getting to me." Leon said. Jill laughed.

"So, did you get a kiss yet?"

"I'm pretty sure I've scored one for later." Leon confirmed.

"This date is weird. She's not really your type, as far as I can see."

"You have no idea." Leon mumbled.

"Well, I came in here to give you some pictures of the case on Oliver Stone. It's sort of frustrating, but I think we got a witness. If you come with me this afternoon you can drill him on t-"

"Hey, Jill." Leon interrupted, without looking at her.

"Yah? Hey, what's wrong?" Jill asked.

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Sure."

"I haven't been working on the D case anymore."

"Well, I don't blame you. There's no proof." Jill yammered "I mean, I even doubt he's really guilty!"

"I proved my theory wrong." Leon said suddenly.

"Hey, you sound upset. It's good that D's not a criminal, isn't it? Aren't you two friends?" There was a short pause "Leon?"

"Ilmemmmhim." Came the tiny mumble. It was barely audible, and not to be understood in the least. Leon's eyes were fixed intently on the desk.

"Wha?"

"Ilo..him." Leon repeated.

"Speak up damn it, Leon!"

"I love him! I fell in love with him and he's such a pain in the ass but I can't help it and I don't even care if I don't get any anymore and he's a guy what the hell is wrong with me!" Leon screamed. Fortunately, Jill could barely understand all this , so the chances of Leon's words being actually heard were slim.

"Oh." Said Jill, then, after a minute, she added "Well, I always figured he'd charm you into it someday!"

"What?" Leon stared at her, still panting from his tantrum.

Jill sighed. "What, it wasn't obvious. All that 'my darling' and 'my dear' and 'have you eaten' and 'I brought you some tea' and it wasn't obvious? He's always liked you, though I don't see why...."

"Neither do the animals."

"Do they make it that obvious?"

Now that the truth had finally sunk in, Leon smiled at Jill. "Yah. It's obvious. But I'm not giving up."

"Uh...Leon..." Jill seemed to have just noticed what exactly was going on. "What is D having you do to proove your love today?"

"Well...Our subject today is...pets. That's right. I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget when I slipped out last night."

"Slipped...out?"

"Huh? Yah. D fell asleep on me and I couldn't move so I fell asleep too."

"OH, that's why you're wearing the same cloths. I thought you ran out again." Jill said.

"Shut up. When I run out I just buy new ones." Leon said.

Jill sighed. "Well, if it helps...I think I have just the thing to score you another kiss for the future." She said with a wink.

By the time Leon showed up, D had been running the shop in a beautiful dark magenta kimono and rare birds painted in blues and pinks on it for quiete some time. Chris was in the front room with him, and D was just finishing up a contract.

"Make sure you follow the contract very seriously." D warned. The customers, a man and a woman, looked at Leon fearfully as he came in. Leon shrugged and sat down, ignoring what was obviously going on.

_You'd better not throw this chance away.._Leon thought at them, though they obviously couldn't hear him.

"If you violate this contract in any way, please be aware that the pet shop can not take responsibility for the consequences, no matter how tragic they might be."

"Of course." Said the man. Leon wondered how many customers had said this right before they broke their contracts.

"Thank you for your purchase. Please take good care of her." They walked off, shielding something from Leon.

"What did you sell them?" Leon asked from the couch when they were gone.

"A snake." D said.

"And what did they see?" Leon asked.

"Their niece." D replied.

Leon made no further comment than "Let's hope they take the chance."

"Yes, indeed." D sat down and T-Chan came over to sit on his lap. Now that he looked human, it was very funny. Leon chuckled.

"Hey, I might get jealous here, goat." T-Chan growled at him. "I brought something for you. No surprise, but...it turned into a human girl as soon as I smelled the incense."

D smiled. "You found an animal?"

"Well, the subject is pets." Leon smiled and produced a girl with very long hair from behind the couch. She immediately went to D and hugged him. "Jill found her. She says she's a Docking or something...."

"A Dockson, My Darling Detective, and actually, she's not. She's a mixed breed. Both Chiwawa and Dockson. I believe the slang term is 'Chiwinie'"

Leon laughed.

"A Dockson is also called a wiener dog." D explained.

"She's cute. She looks attached to you. Why do her ears stand up?"

"The ears are a sign of the breed."D said. "This breed is made purposefully by breeding the mates. She is very expensive, actually. As for being attached....perhaps it is because I am...infeminit."

"They like girls?"

"Usually the woman of the house will be a favorite to any small dog."

"Right." Leon said.

"Thank you for bringing her by." D looked at the girl now. "Would you like something to eat?" She nodded. T-Chan moved off D's lap and the Count began to get a dish ready for her. "What's your name?" he asked her.

"Bean-Chan." She said. Leon held in a chuckle.

As soon as Count D was done taking care of the new animal he sent a very happy Chris and a very upset Pon-Chan on their way with her. "Now, My Dear Detective. We should have a little privacy." He was suddenly and obviously very flirtatious with Leon. The cop blushed a little. T-Chan roled his eyes and left the room. "Thank you T-Chan!" D said happily, waving his pet off.

Leon smiled and relaxed in the couch, hoping D would sit next to him now. "So, Count-"

"Shhh..." D said, putting his finger against Leon's lips to silence him. D was suddenly perched above Leon, one leg in between Leon's spread legs and the other resting on his right. D's body pressed against him and Leon gasped at the motion below. They were both aroused. D rested his head against Leon's chest. Leon realized that D must be rewarding him for his recent tolerance. "Now, My Darling Detective...why don't you tell me all about your favorite animals."

"Dogs are...my favorite..." Was suddenly all Leon could croak out.

D looked at him, closed his eyes and made to leave his lap- an obvious sign that if Leon couldn't handle it, he wasn't going to do it.

"No, D!" Leon pulled the Count back down, where he rested due to shock until Leon began to talk again. "I like big dogs the best, but I do like birds. But you've got to know that I can't view them like I used to. I actually...like them better in human form. T-Chan hasn't bitten me in two days."

D smiled. "My, my...taking a liking to the incense, my Dear Detective?"

Leon smiled back.

D noticed another loophole suddenly that he very much liked the idea of. The contact didn't prohibit him from kissing Leon other places but the lips, though the lips were off-limits until after the contract's end. Figuring the Detective more than deserved it, he lifted his head, physically tilted Leon's head back with his fingertips and long nails, and gently kissed his Detective's exposed neck. Leon shivered.

"D...."

D smiled before leaving another lipstick mark on Leon, not that the cop cared either way. "You've had a hard week..." D said, licking Leon's neck up to his chin. "You should relax."

"Ah.....D........don't you...wanna......"

"Hm?" D raised his head to watch Leon overheat. "You weren't going to say 'wait' were you detective? If you'd like...we could wait..." He teased.

"No! No...." Leon wrapped an arm around D's shoulder as he began to kiss the officer's neck again. "Just...keep it up....mmm....nm...."

D stopped rather suddenly and got off Leon's lap to sit next to him.

"D? What?" Leon lifted his head. "What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid the contracts are binding." D expressed. "I was feeling...rather out of control..."

"You were gonna kiss me, weren't you?" Leon asked. "Alright then, D. I'll remember that one."

"You do know, Darling Detective, that I do still choose at the end." D said mysteriously.

Leon grinned "I'd take you more seriously without smeared lipstick." He said.

Even then, the Count didn't looked alarmed. It was just as when he had first met him. Just like always. So calm and cool. He looked at Leon, took his lipstick off with a napkin and offered it to his officer. He pointed to Leon's neck. "So would I." He said.

"Ah, shit!"

Rea: Thank you for continuing to read this! It's nice to be updating again!

Len: We'll try to keep up better now.


	9. D's Way

Len: Well, we've been too lazy to update.

Rea: Please forgive us! I think we're a day or maybe 2 late. But in our defence, the Internet was down Wednesday. Thanks for continuing!

Chapter Nine: D's way

"So, how was it last night?" Jill asked Leon without a pause the next morning. "How close are you?"

"It's still three and a half subjects away if I get one." Leon told her dismally.

Jill gigled. "Wait, didn't it go well?"

"Of course. I'm just impatient. By the way, the dog was a half breed."

"WHAT?" Jill said, clearly upset that it turned out that way.

"Don't worry. He liked her still. It was a...uh...chiwinie."

Jill stared. "Oh, right. Of course. I should have known that. What did you tell the Count about animal?"

"You and him both know they don't particularly excite me, Jill." Leon said. "But I like dogs. Big ones, anyways. He wasn't upset." Leon's eyes gleamed maliciously. "In fact...." He pulled down his shirt color to reveal a small hickey.

Jill squealed in delight. "What were you so upset about?" She demanded to know.

"Oh, that. Well, come on! He turned me on and then left me like that!" Jill laughed at him. "He did. Besides...I want the real kiss."

"How romantic of you Leon!" Jill exclaimed.

"You didn't believe me when I said I fell in love with him?" Leon asked.

"Alright! Everyone, we have a major robbery! All available units out of here right now!" The captain's voice yelled from the next room over. Leon shot out of his chair and grabbed his coat. Jill adjusted her gun.

"Leon." She said seriously.

"Yah?"

"Don't get hurt. You have people to go home to."

* * *

Leon got a little kick out of coming into the pet shop late that night and yelling "D, I'm home!" Some of the animals laughed with him.

"It's so cute when you're domestic!" D said, hugging Leon unexpectedly and popping his leg. "Have you had dinner, My Dear?"

"Huh? Yah, but tea's good." Leon hugged D back for a while, just enjoying the Count's form against his own. He looked at D's cloths when the Count was fixing him tea and wondered what all those crazy drawings in green were supposed to be. D's outfit today was undefinable except for the colors green and blue and the crossover front it had. Leon sat down on the couch, feeling very much now like a spoiled husband who'd been working hard for his family all day. Domestic indeed.

The animals began to clear out like usual, but D called them back. "Today I get to talk about all of you to My Darling Detective." he said sweetly, serving Leon his tea. Leon gave him a weird look.

"Uh...D...your shop is huge. You're going to make me tour the whole place?"

"Of course not. I only wish to share the main rooms with you. All my pets are precious, but many of them you have seen relatives of. For instance, rabbits or cats. Lizards. Dogs. I want to show you some of the rarest I have."

"Oh, just the ones prohibited by the Washington coven. Like...T-Chan."

D gave Leon a hard look. "True, T-Chan is a very rare and dangerous creature. But even a dog will bite when threatened."

"I hate to tell you this, D, but when a dog bites, we shoot him." Some of the animals gasped and D looked angry now. "Don't take it the wrong way, D! It's the way humans are!"

"Yes, you don't deal with threats easily, do you, Detective?"

"No, we don't, D." Leon confirmed. "I'm just saying that by doing this you're putting my job on the line. I'm not going to tell anyone you have lions, tigers and bears, as if anyone would believe me. But if you get caught, I get caught."

"Common, Leon. You know how hard it really is to catch him." T-Chan joked.

"Yah...well, just be careful."

D now gave Leon a mysterious smile. "My Dear Detective...what I'm about to show is by no means prohibited by the Washington coven. In fact, by human definitions, these creatures do not exist."

Leon stared. "Figures. Can I see the dragon?"

"Uh...I'm afraid..." D said "You don't know what you're asking for, Detective."

"What?! It's actually here? I was just kidding!"

"Well, Honlon isn't being sold, but they are here." D replied.

"Honlon? Wow. If I'm one of the parents, why didn't you ask me before you named them? And what do you mean by them? Twins?"

"Actually, triplets." D said happily. "None of them particularly..."

_How do you know about them?_ Chris asked Leon.

"Huh? I BIRTHED them!" Leon said. "Helluvah night, let me tell you...."

_Well, they don't really like you much..._Chris thought.

"What? They don't even know me!" Leon said angrily.

_But they do! Sorta..._ Chris replied.

"Please, Detective! You're acting like a father unable to see his childr-oh." D paused and thought the situation through. "I see." he said.

"Exactly." Leon stood up. "Why don't you show me the dragon, D?" he asked.

D sighed. "It's my day, Detective..."

"Yah, and if you'da told me yesterday, we would have gone then!"

"Leon, you don't understand! Honlon has the power to level this entire city! If they don't care for you, they could destroy everything!"

_I'll calm them down. Most of them like me._ Chris offered.

After several minutes of this, D sighed and finally gave in. He led Chris and Leon to the back. The other animals, save the jealous Pon-Chan and the brave Tetsu, stayed behind. "This goat follows you everywhere." Leon said to Chris. T-Chan bit him. "STOP THAT LOOKS SO WEIRD YOU HAVE NO IDEA!"

D opened the door and held it for the others. At first Leon couldn't see anyone beyond the drapery everywhere. "Detective, this is Honlon. You might be confused at first, but with time you will understand."

"What?"

"Why is he here, Count D?" came a cool voice. A little girl emerged from the drapes. Her face was blank and calm.

"She acts like you." Leon commented immediately. Chris nodded.

"You must know that he can now see the animals as others sometimes do and as I do." D explained. "He wanted to see you."

Suddenly a terrible angry look came over the girl's face. "WELL TELL HIM TO GO AWAY! WHY SHOULD WE WANT TO SEE HIM!?"

"Please, Kanan, he is your father!" D pleaded.

"Don't lump me in with that stupid human!" She cried out, pointing at Leon's dumbstruck face.

"Please don't fight!" Came another voice, and the girl's eyes became weepy.

Leon looked slowly around to D. "They all live..in the same...body?" He asked, eyes wide.

"Ah...yes, My Dear Detective. This is Junrei. The first you met was Shuko, and the one in between was Kanan." D introduced them.

_Kanan__ was born when you held the egg. _Chris explained helpfully. _Shuko__ was born when Count D held the egg, and __Junrei__ was born when a boy held the egg._

"That guy's grandson." T-Chan clarrified.

"HOW DARE YOU COME SEE US LIKE THIS ALL THE SUDDEN?!" Kanan suddenly yelled.

"SHUT THE HELL UP, KANAN!" Leon yelled back. To everyone's surprise, she did. In fact, she stared at him as if shock. It had never occurred to D or Chris that no one had ever treated her that way. She seemed to retreat at the new experience.

Honlon's eyes went completely blank. "Please avoid cursing around Junrei, Detective." Shuko said politely. Leon cracked a smile.

"Hey." He said "You are your father's daughter, huh?"

Shuko looked at him strangely, and Leon imagined he could see Count D's face in hers like a layer to her personality.

The eyes went blank and Junrei returned. "Hi, Christopher...." She said shyly. Pon-Chan crossed her arms.

Leon leaned over to D. "They do realize that Chris is a different species, right?"

D smiled at him. "Regardless, they enjoy his company. His open-mindedness, I suppose."

Leon shivered. "Do you really think he's 'open-minded' enough for THAT?" he whispered to D.

"Detective!" D scolded quietly. "First of all, Chris doesn't realize that what he sees is different from what others see. He sees the pets as human with no effort on my part and no extra incense. Most people see but one or two of them in human form. Second, I assure you none of these animals have that on their mind!"

"Why can Chris see them?"

"I believe it is due to the loss of his voice."

"Wait, doesn't that mean that-"

"Yes, Detective. Chris will someday loose the ability to see them as we do." D said, slightly saddened by the idea.

"Will...Will I?" Leon asked.

"What are you all whispering about!?" At long last Kanan had returned.

"SHUT UP you freak! I can't believe you're related to me!" Leon retaliated.

"Don't even compare me to you, you stupid little-"

"YOU WANT A SPANKING, KID?!" D put his head in his hands, T-Chan and Pon-Chan laughed and Chris looked shocked. Kanan, however, promptly disappeared. "That's how you had to deal with me at that age." Leon explained to D.

"Shall we move on?" D asked.

"I believe that would be desirable." Shuko put in.

Jenrei sighed. "Can Chris stay here?"

In the end, D and Leon moved on alone. "What a pain in the ass!" Leon exclaimed as they went to the next place. "And you never answered my question, D! Don't think I'll let you get away with it!"

"I have no answer for what you asked, but if you seek my opinion, I do not think you will loose your sight of the animals. Partly because of your age."

"I wouldn't forget, right? Even if I could see?"

"I doubt it. Chris is still young enough. Someday he will forget. Or perhaps he will pretend it never happened."

"Depressing." Leon said. "Poor kid."

"Leon," D replied "It isn't depressing at all. For you, yes, it would be tragic. At this point, you have all but crossed into my world completely. You must understand that Chris can not grow up in a world where animals are humans. He will loose touch with the human world, and in doing so, loose his own humanity." Leon sighed, realizing the truth of D's words. "For you, one who has purposefully began to cross over into this world, it is fine that you will not forget. You have speech. You have human friends and important things to do. You will not loose reality in all this."

"What if I want to?" Leon asked sulkily.

"Like many before you who have stayed in the shop, you are now finding it harder to leave...?" D half asked.

"I'm finding it harder and harder to leave _you_ every night, D." Leon said truthfully.

"I'm flattered, Detective." D said with a smile. "However, you must realize that even were I to move the shop, and no one could find you, you will eventually need the touch and speech of your own kind."

"That's it, D." Leon stopped D and turned him around. D looked shocked until Leon asked his next question. "Just what the hell are you? You're not human, are you?"

D looked concerned momentarily, then changed his expression to being as blank as possible. "I believe we are to discuss secrets?"

"Yah." Leon said grudgingly. "But will you tell me?"

"I have...considered this for a very long time now, Detective. Perhaps when the time has come for that lesson, I will. However, I will not know until I try to speak of it."

It was silent for a minute. "Fair enough." Leon said. He tried for a lighter mood. "What is Ten-Chan? I've never seen anything like him...

"He is a Kitsune- a nine-tailed fox. He is considered a trickster, but he can also do much good." D replied. He went to the left of the hall and opened a door.

"Damn." Leon said as he went inside "I'm afraid to go in..."

"You have seen this creature twice now, Detective." D assured. "And I should warn you...the first time all you saw was a large sea serpent in a pool."

"Oh, great! I remember that case!" Leon stepped back.

"Wait, please, Detective!" D held Leon's arm. He was shockingly stronger than he looked. "The second time you saw this creature was at the island we vacationed on."

"HEY! Didn't I loose my memory then?" Leon protested.

"Yes, but I assure you I will not let any harm come to you here." D led Leon to the tank and pushed him toward the latter. He climbed it, D right behind him, and stood up looking into the water.

The woman inside was beautiful. Of course, the first thought in his head was "Woah! Why's D got a topless girl in here?" He saw movement in the water and D held the latern down so he could see her tail. He froze. Yelling "HOLLY SHIT!" Was all the movement he could manage.

"Detective, please!" The mermaid disappeared into the water. Leon stepped back from the tank. "You scared her." D said.

"Wow...she's beautiful, but why do you have a mermaid, D? This isn't the same one, is it?!"

"No, the police killed her, I'm afraid. This one I've just acquired for a customer."

"What will she do?"

"As long as he feeds her and keeps her in the right tank, nothing." D commented. "Since this man has bought several of such pets from me, I believe he will hold true to the contract."

"That's good." Leon said "What's he got?"

"A very rare bird." Said D. "A Phoenix."

"I thought you were going to say a Griffin for a minute." Leon said in relief.

"I have never sold a Griffin, though I am quiet sure my Grandfather must have.... However, I have sold a Kirin."

"What's that?" Leon asked, but he got no answer.

"You have seen some of the other extremely rare creatures at the shop." D told him.

"Ten-Chan?"

"T-Chan as well." D said.

"What exactly is he anyways?"

"T-Chan is a Totetsu."

"Dragon, Fox, Mermaid, Totestu...do you have another Pheonix?" Leon asked hopefully. They returned to the hallway.

"I'm afraid not."

"What's Q-Chan?"

"A horned rabbit."

Leon stared at him. "Right. That's what I would have said. No technical term, huh?"

"Just a horned rabbit." D replied with a smile. "I do have some rather rare birds, if you would like to see them, My Dear Detective."

"Nah. I was already worn out from work." Leon said. "But I have lots of time to see them later, right? And to meet that Dolphin...Hey, your tour on rare and dangerous animals was way better than what I had to say yesterday."

"That's why I distracted you with my body." D replied.

"Want to do that again?" Leon flirted back.

D smiled sweetly at him. "I'm simply more experienced than you in the matter of pets, My Darling Detective."

"I mean it, D. We got off the subject of animals already. Let's have some fun."

"Tea?" D asked, and that was that.

Len: HAH! He didn't get any this time!

Rea: D's got to keep some mystery! And part of it is obviously that Leon doesn't get to have it whenever he wants.


	10. Dandelions

Len: This isn't exactly my favorite chapter. We'll update soon after this one, I'm sure.

Rea: It's important to starting something else though! Hope you guys enjoy it!

Chapter Ten: Dandelions

_Morning Count! _Christopher greeted as he came into the shop. D had long stopped protesting about Leon leaving his brother here while he was on duty, but today they seemed to be by earlier.

"Good morning. You're quite early." D rose from his table, where he had been feeding a few animals, and went to see them. "Help yourself Chris." He offered.

_Can Bean-Chan and I go to Phillipe's?_ Chris asked. Pon-Chan looked jealous.

"Of course." D said with a smile. T-Chan automatically joined the girls and Chris to go into the back.

_Oh, Leon! I almost forgot!_ Chris thought, turning to look at him at the last moment. _Phillipe wants to meet you!_

"And he's a...." Leon asked D quietly.

"Dolphin." D said.

"Oh, yah. Sure, Chris. As soon as I can- in a few days, alright?" Chris went off with the others. As soon as he was gone Leon found himself pulled into a gentle hug. He hugged D back. "I love it when you wear lace." He commented.

The top of D's robe was mostly black lace. The rim of the top and bottom and sleeves where all blue and the decorations of flowers were the same color while the background was black to match the lace. D smiled again when Leon said he had picked it just for today's topic.

They sat down together. "So this is why you're early?"

"Well, I don't have time tonight and I hate pushing this off because it isn't going to take me long to talk about the six types of flowers I know exist. You could say I don't stop to smell them often." Leon half-joked.

"You never did seem like that type, Officer Orcot." D replied before sipping his tea. "So, I take it you don't know any of the types of flowers you will be referring to."

"I know the basic ones. Roses, Bird of Paradise, uh...violets and Dandelions and shit." D suddenly gave Leon a concerned look. "Roses are great for special occasions, but really I like the Bird of Paradise. I don't see how anyone can mistake them for birds, but the colors are bright. You know...I don't even know what a violet looks like. Or a Rodidinduum. Or a Carnation. A Carnation's a flower, right? D?"

"Dandelions?" D asked.

"Yah...why?

"They are a weed, not a flower, My Dear Detective."

"Huh? They have a flower on them."

"Dandelions strangle other flowers, Leon. They are not a real flower."

Leon gave him a confused sort of glare. "Yah, and animals eat plants and each other, D." He pointed out. "They do it to survive."

"I feel as if we've had this conversation before..." D said with a mysterious smile.

Leon smiled back. "We were dreaming." He countered. D obviously thought this was very good, because he layed his head on Leon's shoulder. The cop suddenly felt very accomplished. He had actually countered D successfully, and in return, earned a reward.

"Yes, a Carnation is a flower." D finally answered. "And it is 'Rodedindrum,' not 'Rodediduum.'" he added.

"Yah, whatever. I told you I don't know anything about pets or flowers, Count. I just wouldn't have gotten anywhere without signing a contract to talk about stuff I don't know anything about." Leon complained.

"You've done so well." D whispered after a while. "It's taken you some time, but you seem to have learned the lessons I have tried to teach you, My Dear."

There was another short silence. Leon had been thinking of the night they had spent 'dreaming' in the museum exhibit, and now he sighed. "Remember when I told you that night that you were going to be judged?"

"Yes, of course." D answered.

"Well, I can kind of see _you_ more as the judge now." Leon told him.

"Are Dandelions your favorite, Officer?" D asked in a very sudden change of subject. I seemed to startle Leon a bit.

He shook his head. "Nah, why?"

"You defended them nicely." D complimented.

"Just repeating what you've told me about animals...except...with plants." Leon crannied his neck to see if he could look at D's expression, but he couldn't. "You tried very hard to convince me otherwise. What was that about."

"It's a secret." D whispered. "But in a way, it doesn't really matter. You were right to defend them. After all, they have just as much right to survive."

"Great. A secret. That's at least three days away." Leon said.

"Actually, it's a least four." D said. "I have an important meeting tomorrow elsewhere and I won't be at the shop most of the day. In fact, I will be leaving quiet early. I'll leave you a key if you like, though. It would be nice if you could check on the animals for just a few minutes..."

"What about Chris?"

"T-Chan and the others will care for him in my absence." D said calmly. "And it will give you an excuse to be here while I am gone."

"That's useful, actually. Yah, just leave the key with Chris. He'll remember it, right? I gotta go to work here soon." Leon said, shifting D to bring up his arm and check his watch.

"I'm sure we can trust Chris to keep it safe."

Leon sighed a long sigh. "Should I come by the day after tomorrow to see you?" he asked Count D. "You're the one who'll probably need a full day to talk about how many types of flowers you know about anyways."

The door opened and D immediately stood to greet his guests. Leon had forgotten the shop was still open. "Welcome to Count D's pet shop. How may I help you today? We have many different types of pets, from cats and dogs to birds and fish."

A little girl and her father came in, the girl looking far sadder than any young girl should in a pet shop as she looked around. Her eyes lit up a tiny bit when D mentioned birds. "I want a bird, daddy." she decided, and her father smiled at her, obviously relieved to see her smile a bit.

"You heard the girl, Count." He chuckled.

"Of course, Mr. Laxer. Please follow me." D turned to face Leon before he headed to the back. "Let us plan for then, yes, Officer."

"Hey. Is this store in trouble?" The man asked, troubled by the way D had addressed Leon. The cop shook his head.

"Nah. The Count's a friend of mine." He said, getting up. The man relaxed. "Sorry I spooked you. Later, D." Leon went out the front.

"I'm sorry about the wait. Please follow me." D led his customers to the back. "This is your daughter's first pet, am I right?"

"Yep. Anne finally convinced me that she needed one." He said as the girl ran off ahead. "You know about that accident with her best friend, I'm sure, Count." The man whispered to him.

"Yes, of course. A tragedy. My condolences." D replied. "A pet is good to have in such hard times. The company alone is consoling."

"Yah. Well, he was a good kid, after all. I've felt so bad for her. We're thinking about sending her to counseling. Seeing something like that at her age..." Mr. Laxer trailed off.

D gave the girl a charming smile when she returned. "Allow me to show you a pet I think would suit you very well." he said.

Len: Even shorter than usual.

Rea: You wrote a good deal of it!

Len: That's why I'm complaining. However, I can't imagine Leon knowing all that much about flowers. Nice to finally be starting on a plot besides yaoi though. Please review if you still like this story.

Rea: Yes, your feedback is really great and very much needed! Thanks!


	11. Daisies

Rea: Here it is, as promised! This ones a bit longer, and more enjoyable.

Len: Don't miss us too much while we're away at ALA. Thank you for reading!

Chapter Eleven: Daisies

"A peacock? My, what a surprise Count." Mr. Laxer said, truly shocked.

"Is he to your liking?" D asked the pair.

"Belle? What do you think?" Asked Mr. Laxer.

Belle wasn't facing him. He stood a few feet behind her. This, of course, didn't allow him to see the wide-eyed frightened look she gave the young boy standing before her. "Well, Belle?" D asked her.

Suddenly Belle screamed and ran forward. She flung her arms around the boy before her and began to cry. "W-What's wrong, honey?"

D looked satisfied, but no one was looking his way.

"I LOVE HIM! I LOVE HIM, I LOVE HIM, I LOVE HIM!" Belle cried. The boy wrapped his arms around her as well.

"Oh, my...Belle, perhaps this isn't the right time..."

"What do you mean?!" Belle yelled. "Why won't you let me be around him?!" D's eyes flashed in understanding.

"I'm sure she was just shocked seeing such a beautiful bird in a small Chinatown pet shop." D said sweetly. He caressed the feathers of the bird.

"Bird...?" The girl asked quietly. She looked back at the boy.

"Yes, Belle." D said as if teaching her something "A peacock is a bird. Peafowl even fly, despite their size. In fact, Peacocks are among the largest flying birds."

"Daddy!" Belle stood with a determined look in her eyes. "May I please have this beautiful bird?" She asked. D smiled at her mysteriously.

"Of course, honey. No need to act like that..." Her father chuckled nervously. "You're just trying to grow up too fast, honey. So, Count...what do you think?"

"I think it's the perfect pet for Belle." D said. "Now, if you please, come sign the contract."

"OF course." Mr. Laxer said. He barely glanced over the contract, but it was none of D's concern.

"Perhaps Belle would like to sign instead, Mr. Laxer. Since she's all grown up." D put on a smiling face to mean a joke, but Belle wasn't buying. She took the contract.

"I would like to sign, Daddy." She said in her best 'all grown up' voice. Mr. Laxer had gotten over her sudden mood change. This time his laugh was real.

Belle read the agreement.

Count D's Pet Shop

1) Do not keep him with any other birds.

2) Do not neglect him at any point or act as if you are ashamed of him.

3) If you go anywhere for more than ten hours, you must take him with you.

Signature:

Signature:

"This last one is obvious because of the rest of the second one." Belle said to D, who had been listening to Mr. Laxer talk about how wonderful his little girl was. She sighed the contract without further comment and handed it back to D.

"Thank you for your purchase. Please take good care of him." D told them. Mr. Laxer said goodbye to D and they left with Belle's arm around the peacock.

"Shouldn't you put him in a cage?" Mr. Laxer asked.

"Of course not, daddy! Pets should be free!" Belle told him in a as-a-matter of fact voice. D gave her retreating back another smile.

* * *

"Sup, D?" Leon came into the shop "So, how does this work? You put me in a room with sake and flowered Kimono until I fall asleep or whatever happened?"

D smiled at Leon. "My Dear Detective...that you've managed to piece so much together in so short a time is rather impressive to me." D slipped his arms around Leon's neck and pressed his body close to the officer's warmth. He stared into Leon's eyes.

Orcott's eyes softened from their joking state. "How was your meeting?" He asked D.

"It went well."

"What did you sell the girl? I hope it wasn't dangerous." Leon sort of scolded.

D smiled. "A peacock. I don't hurt children easily, Leon. I'm sure she'll be fine."

Leon didn't want to let go of D when the Count pulled away. He held him still. "My my...You will have to stop this eventually." D softly flirted.

"I want to handcuff you right now, D." D gave him a surprised and betrayed look. "It's a kink thing." Leon explained. D's expression didn't necessarily soften, but he almost looked to be blushing.

"Well, I plead guilty." He told Leon. Now Leon let go.

"Shit, D! Don't say stuff like that! It really gets me."

"You have strange taste, Officer Orcott." D replied. "Would you like to begin now?"

Leon nodded. "Yah, get the humiliation over with, D. I already know you know way more about flowers than I do."

"Then this should prove to be a learning experience for you, Officer." D said happily.

Leon sighed as D led him to the back. "I knew this had something to do with a kimono."

"You're mistaken, My Dear Detective." D said, opening a rather small door in the shop. "In fact, I had the animals in here clear out today just for this. Chris is keeping them company for me."

Leon sort of half-smiled and half-grimaced. "Just when does Chris not do that?" he asked hypothetically before looking around. "Wow....this is something else."

Plants, trees and flowers of all kind were everywhere in this room. Vines covered ancient-looking brick walls and crept over the ground. Flowers of every color decorated the ground around a little path that cut it's way through the think mosses.

"There are only two plants in which I particularly wanted to discuss. However, please feel free to ask what any of them are."

"Those look like purple scrunchies." Leon joked, pointing to one flower.

"These are Ajisai." D replied.

Leon decided to test his knowledge, not realizing that he couldn't call D even if he lied about one. "What about these white ones?"

"Lotus." D said. "Or Hasu. To the Chinese, these flowers symbolize purity and perfection."

"What's this pink tree?" Leon pointed. "OH, wait...are those the sakurn things...?"

"Those are not SAKURA, Leon. They are Momo."

"Huh?"

"Peach blossoms."

"Right. You want to show me the flowers you have to talk about their symbolism, don't you?" Leon suddenly asked.

D nodded. "Most flowers or plants hold some symbolism." he said. "These blue flowers are hydrangea. They represent love and gratitude." D cast Leon a glance that somehow managed to look both mysterious and adoring. Leon blushed. "While these Jasmine symbolize amiability."

"Jasmine's a flower? I thought she was a princess..."

D sighed. He stopped and Leon came up beside him on the dirt trail. "Woah!"

"Daisies."

"All of them!?" Leon exclaimed.

"Yes, all of them." D replied.

"They're different colors." Leon noticed.

"Yes, there are many kinds of daisies." D said. "Blue daisies, lazy daisies-"

"Ha. Lazy daisies."

"Ox-eye daisies, African Daisies, Michaelmas Daisies, Painted Daisies, Paris Daisies, Shasta Daisies, Tatarian Daisies-"

"Alright I get it, D." Leon said. "What about these cool puple and blue ones?"

"That's the African Daisy." D sais happily.

"What a colorfull flower." Leon commented. "So, D. I bet you're just dying for me to ask. Why daisies?"

"They remind me of Chris."

"Huh?"

"Or should I say, Chris reminds me of the Daisy. The symbol the daisy holds is of innocence and childish purity." D explained. "This flower suits your little brother very well, don't you think?"

"I know you're trying to tell me something, but I'm not really getting it, D." Leon said.

"Just that you know I'm trying to tell you something is enough for now. Allow me to show you something you will understand much better, then, My Dear Detective."

Leon looked confused as D walked calmly to a tree. "This is a Maple Tree."

"Wasn't this on flowers?"

"Plants were the subject, My Darling Detective. It just so happens that many people associate flowers with plants. The Maple Leaf" D went on "Is the emblem of lovers in China and Japan. But it also has value to your heritage, Leon."

"How so?" Leon asked, interested because he was still able to follow D's train of thought.

"Your ancestors, the settlers of North America, once placed Maple leaves at the foot of their beds to rid their lovers of demons and encourage sexual pleasure and peaceful sleep." D plucked two leaves, one at a time, gracefully from a hanging branch. He offered one to Leon. "Please place this at the foot of your bed tonight, My Dear Detective, and tell me in the morning just how it makes you feel."

Len: I really love the cliffhanger.

Rea: So proud of yourself. This one was cool because I wrote Leon and Len wrote D- so fun!

Len: Please review and thank you for reading.

Rea: Wow! You said it!


	12. Delicate

Len: And now, the next chapter!

Rea: For those of you who want to know, yes, Len and I had a good time at the convention, though I missed my DeathNote gathering due to my ride being late and....well, I still feel really bad!

Len: On a different note, we hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Twelve: Delicate

"How does it make me feel, D?" Leon mumbled while typing at his desk the next morning. "Freakin' turned on! Can't even look at the freaking leaf without getting hot! Every time he acts like this..."

"Are you alright, Leon?" Jill asked as she came into the cubicle.

Leon ignored her "Encourage sexual pleasures, sure, but peaceful sleep- yah, right!"

Jill giggled "What did he do?"

Leon looked up at her just to take notice, then looked down. "Our subject was plants." Leon said, typing again. "He gave me this maple leaf- 'the settlers of North America, once placed Maple leaves at the foot of their beds to rid their lovers of demons and encourage sexual pleasure and peaceful sleep. Please place this at the foot of your bed tonight, My Dear Detective, and tell me in the morning just how it makes you feel.'" It was a great imitation.

Jill laughed. "I'll take your afternoon shift."

"Huh? Really?"

"I'm not the one whooing somebody." Jill pointed out.

Leon grinned at her. "Thanks. I'm gonna see just how much I can get away with showing D just how I feel."

"So dirty!" Jill replied.

* * *

"Count? Count D? Excuse me? Are you here?"

"Hello, Belle. Are you not satisfied with your purchase?" D came into view and stood beside several funny-looking animals, Totetsu being one. A mysterious smile spread across his purple-painted lips. His robe fell down covering even his ankles and had peacock feathers at the bottom. The top was very plain.

Belle noted his attire. "Why did you have Drogo here?" She brought in the peacock. "What is this about?"

"This is what you wanted, Belle." D replied.

"The contract was rather specific." Belle said bossily. "What are you trying to make me do?"

"Now, now...it wouldn't be a lesson you learned yourself if you just asked for me explain." Belle glared at D. "Belle, how old are you?"

"Twelve." She said immediately.

"Why do you think your father can not see him?" D asked.

"It's some trick you did. Only I can see him, right?"

"There are few who can see Drogo as you do." D confirmed.

"Why doesn't my mom see Colin the way I see Drogo?"

"She has what she needs and what she wants. Her pet was sold to her in order to fulfil her dream of having a dog. Yours was sold to you to fulfil your dream of returning your best friend to life."

"Is that what you sell?" Belle said as if she was all grown up.

D smiled a very real smile now. "Love, Hopes and dreams, yes, of course."

"It was my fault." Belle suddenly said, not sadly, but with a rather large attitude. "You know that, don't you?"

"You feel you don't deserve the pet you own?"

"HE'S NOT A PET!" Belle yelled at D.

He smiled almost cruelly now. "He wasn't, was he, Belle?"

Belle grabbed Drogo's hand and ran from the shop abruptly.

Leon passed her on the street just as he was walking into the shop "Was that the girl who came in the other day?"

"Tell me, Detective. Did you see a boy or a peacock?" D asked.

"A boy. Weird. All the other pets outside the shop I've seen are normal."

"Drogo has been in the shop for some time." D replied. "Some important animals can be seen in their human forms without incense as long as you have been exposed to it and can see the animals inside the shop."

"Drogo's a weird name." Leon said.

"Yes, it means Ghost." D replied.

Leon stared. "The biggest problem I'm having these days is I know WHEN you're trying to tell me something, just not WHAT you're trying to say, D."

D smiled at him. "I wouldn't worry. I'm actually not really talking to you."

_He must be talking to the girl about it, then._ Leon thought._ Which is why she left here crying..._

D now placed his arms around Leon's neck again. The detective responded immediately and drove D a little too roughly into the wall. He looked shocked for a brief moment.

"Those Maple leaves don't encourage sleep, D."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Detective. What did it inspire?" D asked.

"I think you know." Leon said, pressing into D so he would get the point.

"I see." D said. "We're off the subject, My Dear Detective."

"I don't want to talk about the subject." Leon said.

"You were the one who suggested we talk about secrets." D responded.

Leon sighed. "I want to talk about sex, D." He explained, but just as D was about to protest, he went on. "But I know. We have to talk about this first."

D fixed some tea and Leon sat down. "Have you had dinner, my dear?" D asked.

"Nope." Leon said, feeling comfortable and spoiled sitting on the couch.

D began cutting fruits and making a meal for his detective.

"I guess we were going to do this by reveling secrets?" Leon said. "Well, I was just acting like I knew you wanted to talk about plants to begin with, for one." He joked.

D practically laughed as he served Leon and sat down. "I figured as much, My Darling Detective."

Leon grew serious. "I guess this is a delicate subject for me."

D leaned in closer. "Honestly, I can't wait to hear your secrets."

"I've liked you for almost half a year before I got up the courage to tell you." Leon admitted slowly. D smirked at him a bit. "After I got over how creepy you are."

"My Dear Detective. What a startling confession. I had waited for you unnecessarily for far too long." D said.

Leon grimaced. "I don't even want to know how long you liked me when I didn't want to be near you unless you were handcuffed."

"Something you still wish to do today." D reminded him.

Leon shrugged "Yah, well. Different reasons." he sighed. "Anyways....on to the real stuff." He was quiet for some time. "Chris is asleep, right?"

"I assure you he won't interrupt. I do hope that what you are going to confess isn't anger with your brother for something that wasn't his fault." D said.

"Well...sort of. It isn't what you think." Leon said "I was angry because I didn't want my mom to have Chris at all. I never blamed him for her death, D. I was almost nineteen when she had him."

"Slightly more logical than you would have been if you would have been younger." D said understandably.

"I'm still weird about dealing with Chris, D. He keeps asking me strange questions like 'am I causing trouble?' and stuff but he's not. I just don't see how I get him to believe me."

"Partly my fault, unfortunately. I'm trying to return him to the ordinary world, but he's acting much like the pets. They don't want to leave here any more than he does..."

"It would help if he didn't see all the animals as humans." Leon complained. "But there's nothing we can do about that. I wish he didn't have to stay with me. It's not him, I'm just really busy."

"I understand." D said, sipping his tea.

"And with all this going on with...us...it's just....so hard."

"It's almost over." D promised. "I know it's been a long time."

"I don't mind this so much." Leon said. "It's forcing me to be sociable with you."

"Relationships are abut give and take, Leon. If you should ever stop talking to me, please be aware that I will immediately draw back whatever physical relationship I have with you."

"That's good." D gave Leon a slightly quizzical look. "Remember I told you I shacked up with a tattoo artist a few years ago."

"Hardly a happy thing to learn." D replied. "But yes."

"Well, she was really sexual. She wanted to give me a tattoo. Kind of her thing, I guess. But anyways, I never talked to her, really. I don't even remember her FIRST name." D shivered. "Yeah, I know, Count. Anyway, she broke it off with me after a few months. I didn't get her reason. She said I never talked to her, but she never tried. I guess I'm just realizing that I need someone a little less reckless than I am and and just as....lonely, I guess."

"I see." D said. "Well, I certainly am the responsible one. And we have been each other's company for almost two years."

"That's all." Leon said all the sudden. "I'm all wiped out of secrets."

"That's it?" D looked slightly pissed.

"Well, D...You have lots of secrets because of what you do. I'm a cop. What do I have to hide?" Leon asked.

D relaxed. "That was far less entertaining than what I'd hoped for. No more small secrets?"

"Those are the ones that tend to be funny." Leon studied D "You haven't kept much from me, right?" he asked.

D looked concerned. "I'll put it this way, My Dear Detective...The one secret I want you to know the most is so fierce...I don't know if I could bring myself to say it."

Leon stood. "I get it. Like I said. Secrets we're comfortable with. If you can't do it...I can wait." D stood and gave Leon another kiss on the cheek.

"You deserve ten kisses by this time, My Dear Detective." He said.

Leon laughed. "I'm gonna go wake Chris up and take him home." he said. "Goodnight D."

"Thank you, Leon. For sharing such delicate information." D said sweetly.

"Yah. I'll be here for yours tomorrow." Leon practically danced into the back rooms.

Q-Chan joined D, sitting on the Count's shoulder. "I'm...not sure if I should tell him Q-Chan." D said, and Q-Chan hugged D's neck. "Will grandfather be disgraced....will...will Leon leave me....I'm so confused!" D collapsed on the couch, full of emotional fatigue. "I'm just too confused..."

Len: Your ending is lame, Rea.

Rea: SHUT UP! Please review! Thank you for continuing reading for so long!


	13. Dreams

Len: A reviving of Ten-Chan for all you Ten-Chan lovers! I am one myself, after all.

Rea: Please enjoy the chapter!!! I hope it isn't too confusing because we have a lot going on with the scene changes this chapter.

Chapter Thirteen: Dreams

"Drogo! Come on! I'm leaving without you!" Belle stepped over the sidewalk edge and into the street. She headed for the other side without looking even once. She was beautiful and mature. She didn't need to look. Any car would stop for her without hesitation. She was a heart breaker.

Two cars stopped to avoid her. "See, Drogo?"

"Belle! Get out of the street!"

"No one will hit me. I'm too pretty. If you cross with me, you won't get hit." She promised.

Drogo sighed and went down into the street. He took her arm like a gentleman and walked her across. "You shouldn't make people stop for you." He said to her.

"Yes, well, someday I'll be gorgeous like my mom. I'm already developing into the perfect young woman. The entire neighborhood says so." Drogo looked to the side to check if anyone was coming at them. "They will all be after me, so they can stop for me now t-"

It happened so fast. Drogo was suddenly behind her and she was suddenly standing close to the sidewalk, spun around, staring at the street where two cars had collided. There was blood. There was confusion. There was a body on the ground.

"DROGO! OH MY GOD, DROGO!" Belle ran to him and took his hand. "Drogo, are you all right!"

"Don't cross the street alone-"

"Don't talk! SOMEBODY CALL THE HOSPITAL!"

"Don't cross the street alone, Belle. You might get hurt."

"NO! DROGO! DROGO!"

She woke up. She was stunned until she looked to the side. Drogo was right beside her, breathing lightly, asleep. She hugged him and he suddenly looked up, eyes open. He stared at her. "Drogo..."

* * *

"What are you doing out, Ten-Chan?"

"I got bored. I always do after a job. Why, you got a problem, Tetsu?"

"Yah- you haven't HAD a job!" T-Chan faced up with Ten-Chan.

"Oh, yah? Like you've ever done anything for Count D! I've done numerous jobs outside this pet shop!"

"And I've kept D company though all your ridiculous pranks and seductions in those jobs!"

"What's wrong, T-Chan? Got your horns in a knot?"

"You've got nerve taking to me like that, fox! Want to fight?!"

"Like you could hurt me, GOAT."

"What are YOU gonna do, cast a spell on me? I'm so scared."

"What are YOU gonna do, throw Chris at me? You couldn't beat up Leon when he's drunk!"

"You couldn't beat Chris up sober or drunk!"

_Why are they fighting, __Pon__-Chan?_

"They have to do this, Chris. It's a guy thing. They don't get out enough. Just drink your tea and try to ignore them. They'll settle down soon enough."

_When?_

"Once they fight it out."

_Fight!? Oh, no! Leon, do something!_

"Huh? What am I supposed to do? What's going on? Are T-Chan and Ten-Chan fighting?"

_They're going to fist fight!_ Chris thought emotionally.

"Looks like it, don't it?" Leon replied.

"Go shove an innocent animal down your throat, Tetsu!"

"Go swindle some poor couple, _Kitsune__!_"

"Don't mess with m!"

"You're the one who started all this!"

"BASTARD!"

"My goodness, what is going on?" D asked.

T-Chan rammed Ten-Chan with his horns and the fox tumbled once. Ten-Chan began to chant in a strange language and T-Chan ran from him. Things flew all over the room at once and began pelting T-Chan. The tea setting was ruined, and much of the cake was in T-Chan's fur. T-Chan growled and pulled Ten-Chan's braid, swinging him around by it and letting him go to crash into the nearest display of cages.

"T-Chan! Ten-Chan!"

T-Chan pounced on Ten-Chan and Ten-Chan shoved him off. Tetsu rolled over a few times. Ten-Chan began to bounce on his stomach when he landed. He threw a mostly whole cake in T-Chan's face. T-Chan shoved the 9 tailed foxes' face into the remaining food, kicked him in the ass and ran the opposite direction. Leon started to laugh. Ten-Chan pulled himself up, grabbed a muffin and ran after the offending animal. As soon as he caught up he shoved the muffin in Tetsu's throat and pantst him. Pon-Chan covered her eyes and Leon laughed harder.

"Stop this at once!"

T-Chan gave Ten-Chan an atomic wejjy and threw him over the couch. Ten-Chan jumped back over and kicked T-Chan in the face, sending him flying back. T-Chan tore down some curtains and wrapped them around Ten-Chan's neck. He then proceeded to drag the fox around the room. Ten-Chan struggled and finally got free. He tore the curtains to shreds, smashing a cage over Tetsu's head before ramming in the rings around his arms so they were tight against his skin. Leon laughed even harder.

"Both of you stop!"

Growling, Tetsu freed himself from the cage and kicked it into Ten-Chan's face, giving him a bloody nose. Tetsu's arms began to bleed where the metal had smashed into his skin. T-Chan bit Ten-Chan on the leg and dragged him a few feet with his teeth. Ten-Chan returned the bloody nose with a kick to the face with the other foot. His leg began seeping blood as soon as T-Chan was dislodged. T-Chan smeared his blood all over Ten-Chan's face. Ten-Chan hopped on T-Chan's back and grabbed onto his horns. Leon really liked that one.

"I suppose, then, there's no choice. I really don't like to do this..." D said, suddenly forlorn. He looked at his hand, and Leon though he must have some magic to stop them. A tear dropped down onto one hand. D was crying. He tore the tip of one nail off and screamed.

"THAT'S IT!?" Leon yelled.

Tetsu and Ten-Chan stopped fighting and turned their attention to D. "Oh my gods! COUNT DID WE BREAK A NAIL!?" Ten-Chan asked from under T-Chan, where the Tetsu had fallen on him after the fox had grabbed his horns.

"Oh my! My nail! Hurts! Hurts!" D said, panicking. Chris and Leon stared.

"I'm so sorry, Count! We were just playing around!" T-Chan explained.

"I've told you not to do this in the shop! Now I have to clean up with my wounded hand, and..." D began to sob and Leon smiled at his manipulative powers. In no time the shop was mostly clean and new food was set out, courtesy of Ten-Chan and T-Chan. Ten-Chan was bandaging D's so called "wound."

"Ridiculous." Leon said. "Everything that happens here is ridiculous."

"Usually T-Chan gets out more, with Chris or I, because he can't behave himself all cooped up." D explained.

"Sorry, Count!" T-Chan said again.

"We didn't mean to. We were just having too much fun!"

"As for Ten-Chan, he gets restless after he's done something important." D said. Ten-Chan sort of blushed. It was quiet the sight to see.

Leon laughed at them. "I sort of wish I'd have seen it in their animals forms." he said. "That'd had been hilarious."

* * *

"Why won't you talk to me, Drogo? Are you really there?" Belle asked, running her fingers through Drogo's hair. "Are you angry with me?"

Drogo stared at her and tilted his head a bit.

"You must be here for a reason....are you just a ghost? I promise I won't walk the street unless there's a crosswalk! I promise!" Drogo didn't answer. "Fine!" Belle rose, dragging Drogo with her. She half-ran out of the house, her peacock in tow. "Here!" She put him right next to the street. "Look! If you don't talk to me...I'll walk into the street again! I'll do it!" Drogo shook his head. People around barely glanced as they walked past the crazy-looking child.

"Don't think I won't!" Belle screamed at him. "Because I really, really will!" She stepped down into the street. "See, I'm walking across now!" Drogo shook his head again and pulled on her hand.

* * *

Q-Chan "kyued" and D looked up at him. "Is she-?" Q-Chan stared at the door. He nodded slowly. D closed his eyes as if in pain. Ten-Chan shook his head. Leon looked uncertain but concerned.

* * *

"Just talk to me!" Belle pulled Drogo out into the street now. A car swerved slightly to avoid her as Belle stepped past the white line. "Do what I say, Drogo! You've always done what I said so why won't you now!?"

* * *

D stood. "Count, what's happening? Are you alright?" Leon asked. D shook his head. The entire shop seemed to tense up. T-Chan stood. Chris looked confused.

* * *

Belle pulled Drogo forward. "You'll never rest in peace if I keep going! Talk to me! Do what I say!" Drogo pulled her back a little. She slipped away and he grabbed her shirt.

* * *

"Don't do it, Belle..." Ten-Chan mumbled.

* * *

"Let GO!" Belle screamed.

* * *

"I thought you could do this..." D said sadly.

* * *

A car swooped around the corner, heading straight for the girl.

* * *

T-Chan rested his hand on D's shoulder.

* * *

Belle looked into the eyes of Drogo and stopped short. "It was my fault..." She said, tears welling up in her eyes.

* * *

"D? Are you alright?!"

* * *

"That's what you're trying to tell me, isn't it?! Beauty," The car sped towards her faster "Maturity," The car swerved largely and almost toppled. "It's NO EXCUSE FOR WHAT I DO TO PEOPLE!" Belle looked to the right, distracted by the noise, and saw the out-of-control car that was just yards away. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

* * *

D sat down, a look of slight relief on his face. "Sometime, My Dear Detective." he said, the animals relaxing with him. Q-Chan stopped concentrating on one object. "People do change."

"She passed?" Leon asked.

"She did indeed." Chris looked even more confused.

Belle opened her eyes. The owner of the car was stepping out onto the sidewalk. No one else seemed to be inside. He looked at Belle, who was laying on the ground now. "Are you alright?!" he yelled, shocked and frightened.

"Y...yes...." Belle looked to the side of her to check for Drogo, but all she saw was a beautiful white bird, rather large, blinking at her and still holding onto her shirt by the beak. "Dr..Drogo?" She asked.

* * *

The animals had finally cleared out and D had sent Chris to the store with T-Chan to get more repair items. Ten-Chan had cleaned his part with magic, which was quite the sight for Leon to see for the first time. D sat down, exhausted, with a cup of tea. It fit the season. It was just starting to get cold. "Ah...Now, My Dear Detective, I suppose you're more than ready to hear my confessions."

Leon sat back. "Yep. Talk away, D. Give me something juicy."

"My Dear, the shop's secret alone is worth everything."

"Then you did it on the wrong day and are now in 'breach of contract.'" Leon pointed out.

D smiled. "You are getting very good at this, Leon." he complimented. Leon gave him a superior-like smile. "Very well. The truth. The truth is...I haven't ever had a good relationship with my father."

"Really?" Leon asked, surprised. "You and your grandfather are..."

"Yes, rather close." D agreed. "Father and I don't see eye to eye, for some reason. He thinks humanity is a loss."

Leon chuckled. "Won't even try to save us mere mortals, huh?" He drank some tea. With the spoon in it. D winced.

"There's far more to this story than you know, but I honestly have decided you aren't ready for such secrets." D said.

"Huh? If that's your only reason, say it. I'm ready."

"No, Leon, you really aren't." D said seriously. "I'm sorry."

"Look, D, I understand if you're uncomfortable, but if not, just tell me already. I can handle anything you dish out by now. Nothing's weirder than Dragons!"

"Talking plants." D asked without hesitation.

Leon stared, then decided it wasn't that far fetched. "Well, as we've seen, some plants give you sex dreams."

D gave Leon a sweet smile. "My Dear Detective, I'm still not that comfortable with this secret. I'm sorry, Leon."

"You have some big ones. I promised Jill I wouldn't push too hard." He still looked upset. '

D moved in closer to Leon. "My Darling Detective..."

"Yes?"

"I wanted to talk about Hopes and Dreams...and Love, in a way."

"Don't you always?" Leon joked.

"It's different today. Secret number two:" Leon perked up to listen. "I often have that dream about the saber tooth tiger...I'm not sure what it means. Even before the day you came into the dream with me, I would have it...over and over." Leon gave him a weird look. "Never mind." D took a drink of his tea. "Secret number three:"

"This one better be good."

"Well!" D was silent for sometime and Leon had to coax him out to tell the next secret. "Very well." He said at long last. "The third secret is that I have wanted to make love to you more than anything in the world these last few days."

Leon felt an interesting twitch. "Really?" He said slowly.

"Yes, but I would never do such a thing without being able to kiss my partner." D explained. "Just imagine the sexual tension when this is over. Ha, haha!"

"Damn Tease!" Leon said threw clenched teeth. D sipped his tea, pretending to be absentminded or unaware of Leon's hard-on.

"That's all." He finally said.

"Sounds like a general waist of two days."

"Oh, I don't think so." D replied. "You and I have discovered that we'll tell each other more than we originally thought, I think." Leon nodded slowly. "And we have but one topic left."

"Yah, can we meet up tomorrow?" D laughed at this.

"Of course, My Dear Detective. Actually, I'm in a kind of hurry to get these last two conversations over with." D said. He was obviously tired now. Chris and T-Chan returned. "Oh, excellent timing! I've enjoyed this little rest with you, My Dear, but I'm afraid we both have work to do."

"Yah."

_Awww__! You have to go!?_

"Sorry. I've got to get back to the station. But I was thinking." Leon said, when Chris looked sad. "Tomorrow when I stop by D's, after we talk, I'll go meet your friend in the back." He promised. D smiled at Leon.

_Really!? YES!_ Chris hugged Leon and Leon hugged him back.

"See you around, little guy. Bye, D." D gave Leon a kiss on the cheek and a smile.

Chris smiled. _You have lipstick on your face!_

"D, not in front of Chris!" Leon whispered to the Count, who ignored him. The officer headed out.

T-Chan sighed. "So...what did you tell him?"

".......Not enough......" D said quietly. Q-Chan heaved a sad sigh.

Rea: Many of you were seemingly expecting D to tell Leon much, much more, but I'm sorry. Remember, this is but the begining of this relationship!

Len: We have plenty of time for follow-up later. Well...if we do a sequel, that is.

Rea:........stop teasing them!!! Please review!


	14. Default

Rea: Yay, chapter fourteen! Only three chapters left, oh my god!

Len: It's come a long way. I hope you enjoy this chapter. D is bipolar.

Rea: He is not! He's emotional.

Chapter Fourteen: Default

"My Dear Detective. Now this is a surprize...whatever are you doing here so early for? I've just opened the shop." D said.

"Ah, I'm off-duty today, Count." Leon said. D hugged him around the neck. Leon blushed, though Chris was already halfway to the back door of the shop.

_Don't forget to come meet Phillipe!_ Chris thought to Leon and he went out, practically dragging T-Chan by the horns before the Tetsu had a chance even to bite Leon.

"Sure, kid! Don't...get eaten...." Leon mumbled the last bit. D let go very quickly. "Hey, don't go anywhere! I was kidding!"

"I'm fixing you some tea!" D huffed. "As if any of my animals would harm Chris!" he said as Leon plopped down on the couch. "Wednesday is my slow day, My Dear, but should a customer come in..."

"Yah, I'll wait patiently while you deal with it." The door opened just then and Leon and D looked to see Belle standing there with a band-aid on her head and a white-haired boy with a big smile on his face.

"Oh, my! Belle, it's good to see you." D greeted. "I do hope you're enjoying Drogo's company."

_He looks like a ghost with all that white hair and skin. He must be albino_. Leon thought, looking at the boy.

"Count D, it's a pleasure to meet with you again." Belle said in her too-mature way. "I have very much been enjoying Drogo's company, but I wanted to ask you a question."

"Yes, what is it?" D answered, a bit surprised she would have come all this way to ask a question.

"May I rename Drogo?"

"Yes, of course." D replied. "He is, after all, your bird."

"No, he's my friend. He always was. He wasn't my servant or just anyone I could boss around." Belle shook her head, then looked D directly in the eyes. "Count, I'm renaming Drogo with the name Wynn."

"Win?" Leon asked. D cast him a warning look and the detective shut up.

"Yes, Belle. It suits him very well. Please enjoy your pet."

"I will, Count D." She left, carrying her head up and the boy in her hands.

"Did she really...see a bird?" Leon asked D.

"Yes, my Dear Detective. As of yesterday, Wynn has left Drogo's form behind. It's very symbolic, in fact. Wynn has the meaning 'friend,' detective." D smiled at Leon. Leon began to laugh. "What is it?" D asked.

"It's just...I think...This is the first time I've ever seen the good side, D." Leon replied. "I'm the one always dealing with the messes this pet shop leaves behind. It's good to see the other side of the story for once. You know, the one filled with _love, hope and dreams._"

"You're an officer. You don't often see the good side of anything, Leon." D replied.

"It's an unfortunate part of being a cop." Leon agreed.

"I believe it is your turn today, Detective?" D asked, but it wasn't really a question. It was more of a nudge.

"Oh, yah." Leon said. He had forgotten the reason for coming here early on his day off in the first place. He could have slept in for once, after all. "Well...what do you want to know?"

D sat down with a cup of tea, though it wasn't really 'tea time.' It was a habit by then. He sipped. Leon drank. He sipped again. "I was unaware that I must ask a question. This seemed to be your default."

"You're not human, D." Leon said, and D smiled mysteriously at him. "I'm the average guy. You're weird if you don't like sex."

"I've never had sex, Leon. I can't say whether I'd like it or not."

Silence.

"You're a virgin?!"

"Yes, Detective! Why are you yelling?" D said, startled by the sudden change. Leon shivered visibly in his chair. D stared. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Well...honestly...I'm thrilled and disappointed." Leon said. "Disappointed because I have my work cut out for me. You'll have to be trained."

"I am not an animal!" D said angrily. "What do you mean by 'trained?'"

"It's a figure of speech, Count. It just means that I'll teach you what I like and try to find what's good for you at the same time and it's damn hard!" Leon went on. "I'm thrilled because inexperience can be sexy."

"How so?"

"Well, first of all..I'll be your first."

"You assume too much." D said simply.

"Come on, Count!" Leon said. D shifted in his seat. "Someday you and I are going to have sex. Just think about it."

_I'm trying not to._ D thought.

"You were so hot and bothered the other day. More than a kiss would have resulted if we'd kept going. You would have been riding me in no time."

"Leon!" D Whispered his name this time and Leon laughed.

"You're shy today, Count. Anyways, you never having sex before means your body is all mine. No one else will ever touch you like I do." Leon said proudly. "And then there's the thing about how needy you'll be..."

"Why do you keep assuming these things?!"

"It's human nature, D."

_I thought we'd established I wasn't human._ D thought, sipping his tea. I_ suppose I never told him, so he must have been joking._

"Everyone gets so hot their first time, they don't know what to do."

"The context you're using the word 'hot' in is interesting." D said abruptly.

Leon ignored him. "So they hold onto their partner the first few times. You get really cooperative and I can do whatever I want the first few times at least. And of course, I can make you feel so good you won't know what to do with yourself." D shifted again. This time Leon stopped talking. He laughed slightly. "D...does sex make you uncomfortable?" he asked.

D blinked a few times in surprise. "I believe we are meant to be talking about you. I assume your sex life has been more active than mine?" He asked.

Leon nodded. "A little. The tattoo artist, of course. Two old girlfriends."

D looked devastated. "T-three?" he asked Leon.

"It's pretty normal today, D." Leon replied, not sure how to treat D about it.

"Normal?" Suddenly D's whole look changed. He stood "Normal!? I don't care about what's normal!"

"Wha-D?"

"How dare you do this and not tell me!"

"I didn't even know you the last time I had sex!"

"I have waited my entire life for this, and you've already been with another?!" D's eyes filled with tears. "How could you?!"

"D! What's wrong with you!? You knew I've shacked up with people...I've dated...how did you not realize that- D...."

D was now sitting again, his hand over his mouth, muffling his sobs. Tears streaked down his face. Leon stood in shock for several minutes while D cryed, until the Count finally got hold of himself. "I...I'm sorry..." He sobbed, and Leon shook his head.

"I just don't get it."

"I'm sorry, Leon...please forgive me....I'm afraid I overreacted."

"Why, though?"

"I...." D sobbed again "I wanted you all to myself...I understand now...why you were happy I was a virgin." he finished quietly.

Leon sort of smiled at D. "Why did you ask about it?"

"I didn't know...it would upset me so much." D said. "I've just realized that you didn't love those you've made love to, no, had sex with. You cannot make love to someone you do not love, Detective. And I wonder now...if you will wait until you love me to take me as your own." D stared straight ahead as he said this and the shop grew quiet.

"I...uh....D...." Leon stuttered. D looked up at him. Leon sat down. "I, uh....I don't have to wait anymore, D..." he said with some difficulty. D's eyes grew excited as he waited for more. Leon realized that D expected the actual words and swallowed. "I..I already love you, D." T_hat wasn't what he was looking for?_ "I'm already in love with you." Leon rephrased. This was obviously just what D was looking for. He leaned in close to Detective Orcott and paused just before touching lips with him. They both froze. "I hate that contract." Leon said.

D smiled. "It's excellent that I have such self control." He commended himself. "I am the responsible one, after all."

"Are you bipolar?" Leon mumbled.

"Back to the subject at hand, my dear detective." D now looked quite sly. "What is it exactly that you like?"

Leon blushed a tiny bit. "Well, I guess I like it kinda rough."

"Rough?" D asked. "You sound like T-Chan."

"Well, maybe we have the same taste, you know. I'd love to see you in handcuffs." he told D.

"I didn't realize that was a sign of affection." D replied.

"I love your nails." Leon said. "I can't imagine the things we could get away with with those long nails."

It was D's turn to give a faint blush, and he obliged. "My, my, Detective...you are a bit..."

"Kinky? Yah, a little." Leon said. "And I sort of like the way you dress in general."

"I believe you've recently been calling this cross dressing?" D said irritably.

"Well....it's still...kind of hot...and anyways, I really like blow jobs...." Leon continued.

D nearly spit out his tea, but retained image for image's sake. He swallowed. "Detective!"

"You asked!" Leon replied. "Besides, it's really hot. I like to watch it all happen. Very sexy."

D looked a bit concerned that this was going the wrong way. "This isn't what I had in mind, but I suppose that makes sense."

"Why?"

"Because I've never had sex." D said. "I admit that the romance holds my attention much more."

"Oh, right. Well, I really do like to snuggle a little afterwards. That's kind of a girl thing, but...actually, I just like to feel the warmth. Just having a body there, pressing up against you, firm and solid. It's..."

"Safe." D finished. _I want to feel safe. I want to feel that. _"That sounds wonderful." Leon nodded.

He glanced at his watch. "I have to run some errands and I need to get in the back to meet the dolphin."

"Of course."

"You don't mind, right?"

"No, My Dear Detective. In fact, I think I've had enough." D got up. "Follow me, please. I'll show you to the right door."

* * *

"Hey, Leon!"

_Bro! _Chris thought.

"Wow, this guy already knows my name." Leon said. He shook hands with Phillipe.

_He's wanted to meet you a long time now._ Chris explained.

"Chris and I have been swimming together for a while now! Would you like to join us?"

D stood far up on shore watching Leon, Chris and Phillipe. Q-Chan joined him, sitting on his shoulder. D smiled at the winged rabbit and turned his attention back to Leon. "You and Chris have come so far..." he said, though they couldn't hear him "My Dear Detective."

Rea: Oh, yay! What will happen next, I wonder?!

Len: Yes, the conclusion comes soon. Mysterious!

Rea: Mysterious!

Len: ......................well, you get it. That's your que to review.

Rea: ^.^


	15. Damage

Rea: This is one of my favorites, written mostly by Len.

Len: Thank you, thank you very much. However, I will take my bows after the last chapter. This being only second to last, after all...

Chapter Fifteen: Damage

Leon arrived late from work the last evening to see D working on cleaning the front of the shop. "Detective, one moment. I'll be right with you." The Count said hurriedly.

"Looks like it was a long day."

"Fridays usually are. Chris told me you tried to stop by yesterday." D said, finishing his dusting and shaking the duster outside. "I should have told you I was going to be gone-"

"I don't need to know every detail, Count." Leon said. "As long as Chris is safe, I don't give a damn. It was too late by the time you got back to talk, though. And we both had work this morning."

"This is what happens in families where both parents work." D said dramatically. "I do hope Chris is getting enough nurturing."

"D, we're not married and Chris is my brother, not our son. Sheesh." Leon sat down and D handed him a cup of tea. "I hope this is the stuff that keeps you awake." Leon said.

"I rarely serve you anything that helps you sleep, Officer." D sat across from Leon.

"Well...are you going to talk or what?"

"You're eager to get this over with."

"Yah, because I'm pretty sure I get a kiss after this." Leon replied, a little irritable. "But mostly it's that you looked uncomfortable talking about this Wednesday. I like to watch you squirm. It's a little sexy."

"These habits of yours come from being a police officer too long, My Dear Detective." D said blandly. Leon grinned. "Very well, though I don't know what you expect me to say. I know very little about sex between human males." D said.

"Well, yah, but isnt' there anything you'd like to try?"

D paused, looking at Leon carefully for a second. "In my opinion," He finally said "Sex can be very damaging to a relationship."

"Huh? How's that?"

"It's been at work in your own life, hasn't is, Leon?" D asked, but it wasn't a real question. "Do you remember telling me about your time with your tattoo artist? You said she was very sexual with you, but she never tried to communicate her emotions. This is a great danger. She could have been harboring anger or resentment towards you. She could have felt you wanted her only for sex, whereas I know you need communication and caring in a relationship as much as anyone else. You see, we've talked, My Darling Detective, about almost everything. And while I have been keeping you in sexual suspense for my own reasons-"

"I'm still sleeping with that leaf at the foot of my bed."

D went on, smiling at Leon's comment "I have also been relating with you on subjects we are not similar in. Talking has put our relationship in perspective, but surely you must realize that we are not free from damage unless we continue to speak normally to each other even after our kiss and after we have had sex."

Leon nodded in understanding. "I get it." He said. "So you don't think it will be a problem for us, though?"

"Why would it be?" D asked Leon, then sipped his tea. Leon had forgotten about his and now drank as well. "I will always make the effort to continue speaking with you, My Darling Detective. And if you please to have sex more than once, you will as well."

"It's a good threat only because I know you'll do it." Leon said jokingly. D smiled at him. "I was actually curious about what you think you'll like...?"

"I imagine myself as quiet violent." D said simply. "Not in the way that I would hurt you outside of your pleasure domain, but in the way that you would probably enjoy." Leon was suddenly a little turned on. "You said you liked my nails, for instance. All the better to scratch you with, I assume. And I can see myself enjoying such a thing just as much." It was silent for a moment, and quite clear that Leon had forgotten about his tea again. "Did I...turn you on, Detective?" D asked, slightly amused.

Leon nodded dumbly and shook himself out of it. "I like that idea..." He said a little shakily.

"This is why I knew sex would be a strange topic for you. I can keep myself from getting aroused by such a topic. You, however, are less responsible." D said.

"Hey, come on! I like the way you talk about it..." Leon said "It's like phone sex."

"Like what?" D asked, confused. Leon smiled and got up, walking right out of the shop. D stared at the spot he had left. The phone rang and D jumped, almost spilling his tea. "Oh, I see. A demonstration, I suppose." He set his tea down and picked up the phone. "You really think it wise to waist your 'minutes' like this, Detective."

"I'm pinning you against the wall." came the reply.

"Excuse me?" D asked, truly puzzled.

"I'm kissing you, hard, everywhere." D was silent and Leon went on. "I'm grinding against you, moaning...God, D....touch me...."

D hung up. He took deep breaths to return his heart rate to normal and sat down again. "My god...." He said, trying to calm himself. Leon entered and walked to stand in front of D.

"Why the hell did you hang up?" Leon asked.

"I...." Was all D could manage and Leon sat down smugly when he realized what had happened.

"See, it's like a description of what's going on in your head when you want to have sex, but you can't. You call the person and pretend over the phone."

"Couldn't you have just said that!?" D asked. Leon gave him a smug smile. "Please never do that to me while I am working, Detective." He begged.

Leon laughed at him. "You're so _responsible_, it wouldn't work." he said sarcastically. "So you obviously like that too, huh, D?"

"Detective," D looked up at Leon the way he usually did when he was about to best him at a charge Leon had layed against him. "I do believe you've enjoyed yourself enough." D rose and crossed the room to where Leon was sitting. "I will show you well enough what I prefer.

D was leaning down over Leon now, though he was between Leon's legs on the floor. He now came up to about Leon's chest, not sitting, but with his knees on the ground. Leon gave him a shocked look and D brought his hands up. He fondled Leon through his pants and the Detective gasped and moaned. "I like this, My Darling Detective." D said in a sexy low tone. "Using my hands." He ran skilled fingers down Leon's erection without even unbuttoning Leon's pants. The other hand went to the back and buried itself in Leon's pants, resting on his boxer tops in between the boxers and the pants.

"I hope it's good for you, Detective..." D said smoothly, working his fingers nicely on the front of Leon's pants. "I like these cotton pants better. This would be hard to do in jeans. You should take note of that."

"W-What happened to damaging?" Leon tried to be cool through his moans of absolute contentment.

"I did say we had talked, didn't I?" D asked. "Unfortunately, it isn't your lucky day, Detective. I would use my mouth-" Leon shivered in delight "but I've told you before I would need a kiss first."

"Shit! One more day, Count...Just skip it...we've talked....like you said..." Leon gasped and panted.

D smiled wickedly. "How terrible, Detective. Violating the contract at such a late stage...." D stopped fondling Leon and removed his hands. "You should be ashamed of yourself. Come back tomorrow, Leon, and I'll decided then."

"Fucking...tease..." Leon said, trying to regain his composure.

"Now, now, Detective." D said "I won't want to kiss a potty mouth." he teased further.

Leon glared at him as he took out a cigarette. "That's dandy, D. I'm taking Chris home." He lit it and put it in his mouth.

"Leon, what makes you think I want to kiss an ash tray?" D scolded.

"Yah, well, I've about had my limit in this, D! I've haven't had a smoke in two weeks and I've kept them with me the whole time!" Leon said.

This made D take the cigarette. "Leon! Why ruin your chance to quit now?!" he said passionately. "I won't want to kiss you much if you keep smoking!"

"I know that!" Leon yelled. "I just can't handle all this tension. I need to relax so I take a cigarette!"

"But you've done so well the last few weeks! You really haven't smoked?"

"I was thinking about how good that kiss will feel once you realize I don't taste like cigarettes." Leon replied. "But you can't even tell I've quit!"

"The incense clings to you, Leon!" D argued. "If we weren't in the shop so much of the time, I would have noticed eventually!"

Leon smiled at D. "I won't smoke a few more days. But you have to stop teasing me." He said flirtatiously.

"Of course. I had no idea it was affecting you so." D said. "Your will must have been wavering the last few days. You should have told me."

Leon smiled wider. "Alright, D. I'll wait."

"Oh, My Dear Detective...once I kiss you, you won't have to wait any longer." D said confidently, smiling that one smile Leon hated so much. "You will have all the high you will ever need."

It must have been the most arrogant statement the Count ever made.

Rea: Oh, I'm so excitted!

Len: She has to wait for 5 days before posting again. I'm going to make her. Just to torture you all.

Rea: You're so mean! We even have new fans! How dare you toture them!

Len: I'll let her post early if you give us 65 reviews total before the last chapter.

Rea: That's worse, you jerk! Briber! We don't even have that many reviews.

Len: Exactly.


	16. Definite

Rea: So, for the longest time, Len wouldn't let me post this- and then, yesterday, he starts pestering me to post it!

Len: No time for either of us. Congradulations for waiting so long. Here is you reward. Of course today's chapter will be a bit short, yes, Rea?

Rea: Yes, of course. Maybe three pages, but it's the END!

Len: Aren't you all so happy? Thank you very much for sticking with us this long! By the way, to preserve the ending, this is goodbye. It's too good to spoil with wants of reviews.

Rea: Yes, thank you very much, and please don't forget to review for this last chapter! We'll let you savor the end by saying it now. ^.^

Chapter Sixteen: Definite

_"Oh, My Dear Detective...once I kiss you, you won't have to wait any longer. You will have all the high you will ever need."_

_Damned Cou_nt! Leon thought, typing extra hard on his keyboard about an hour before his shift ended. He looked up at the clock. _I'd better get a kiss today!_

"Hey, Leon...? Did something happen with the count?" Jill asked.

"I get my kiss today." Leon said irritably.

"That's great! Break out the champagne! Hey, why are you so angry? If it's about the Foulon Case, give it up already!"

"You think I'm irritated by some punk? I'm irritated because it's so close." Leon said the last word through clenched teeth. "I've waited for almost twenty days now to find out if I actually get one! What if I go in there and he says I get nothing!"

_"My Dear Detective? How could you ask if you're getting a kiss? Of course not! You haven't done near enough!"_ It all played out in Leon's head, pissing him off further.

"Oh, come on! The other day you were bragging you were going to get one for sure!" Jill pointed out.

"I'm not stupid, Jill. The Count would do that just to torter me!" Leon slammed on the keyboard and Jill jumped. "Then T-Chan and Ten-Chan will laugh and Pon-Chan will flip out on D and..."

"You must be agitated if you think the animals are laughing at you, Leon." Jill said sarcastically.

Leon realized what he had been saying and that of course Jill couldn't see the animals as humans. "Yah, well..."

"You should check out early." Leon looked up at her with savage glee. "You obviously need it!" Jill said. "Go kiss your Count. I'll take care of the grunt work." She gave him a smile as she pointed at herself with her thumb.

Leon stood. "Jill, you are the best partner any man could have!"

"Dinners on your tomorrow!" Jill said.

"Definetly!" Leon ran out of the station as soon as he could.

* * *

"Please take very good care of your pet, Mrs."

"I will." The woman promised, and made off with a small cage.

D sighed and looked concerned. "I wonder when Leon will come?" He said out loud.

"Don't worry, I"m sure he's on his way!" Pon-Chan said confidently.

_Yah__! Big Bro really likes you! Even though you both fight a lot..._Chris half reassured.

"Kyu!" Q-Chan agreed.

"If he's too much of a coward, I can drag him in!" T-Chan said loudly. Ten-Chan only smiled. "Out of your room, I see." T-Chan said in response to this.

D sighed again, even more worried now.

_"No! Don't make me go in! I don't want a kiss anymore! I was wrong!"_ It played out in D's head with T-Chan pushing and Ten-Chan and Pon-Chan pulling the officer inside.

The door opened. All the animals tensed. A little boy came in and everyone sighed or groaned or fell over. The boy looked around at all the strange-acting animals and ran out the door.

D turned around "Stop scaring the customers while waiting for Detective Orcott!" He scolded.

The door opened again. This time it really was the Detective, breathing a bit hard and obviously expectant. The animals scattered, Ten-Chan carrying Chris to the back room and everyone else following him. Leon stared at them.

D tried his best not to look. If they were just going to leave in the first place then why...?

"Just how many of them know about this?" Leon asked, walking towards D with his hands in his back pocket.

"I fear many of them may know at this point. Kanan has already claimed she will never kiss Shuko no matter the dare or bribe." D said, a bit nervously. Even a bit came across as extremely nervous for the Count in Leon's eyes, but who could blame him? Even Q-Chan had left him alone with Leon in a rush, and D was sure some were still watching.

"I hope so." Leon relied, and they both laughed a bit. "Why are we so nervous?" Leon asked.

D smiled, happy Leon had brought it up. "Because, my Dear Detective, we aren't letting the date go naturally. Let me close up the shop. We need to get out." he said. And that's what they did.

For a long time, Leon and D simply walked down the coast, talking. D insisted they return to the place Leon had taken him for Best Date, and of course they left with lots of sweets. By the time they came back to the shop, it was as late as ever, and sure enough, when D checked, all the animals were asleep just past the doors connected to the lobby. He smiled at Leon.

"They were waiting for us." Leon said, retuning the smile.

"Yes. Even Ten-Chan appears to be asleep, but I wouldn't put it past him to fake."

"We do seem alone, Count."

"We do, My Dear Detective."

They sat next to each other with tea and the feeling of a long unease passing along with a goodbye to what their past relationship held. For a long time, they were silent. Then D moved to sit next to Leon, and they faced each other.

"My Dear Detective, you have been patient with me."

"It's a big step, now that I've thought about it." Leon replied.

"I think you'll agree that this is definite, now, Leon." D responded. "Neither of us could possibly back out at so far a point."

D and Leon smiled, and Count D leaned in first. Leon closed the kiss. And it was bliss. D's hands went around Leon's neck and Leon pulled D close to him from around the waist. The world didn't just melt, it disappeared, but it was alright- even for Leon. Because he wasn't the last one there. D was there. And for D, the kiss was all he could feel. No emotion seemed to enter it at first, but after a few seconds, the passion was there. He could feel it. He could taste it. And they broke. And they kissed again. And they were the only ones who ever knew the perfection of those kisses. And D was right, as always. Leon never smoked again.

The End


End file.
